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Biography
Refimprove|date=August 2010 The Belmonts are an United States|American doo-wop musical ensemble|group from the Bronx, New York, that originated in the mid 1950s. The group consisted of Fred Milano , Angelo D'Aleo and Carlo Mastrangelo . They took their name from Belmont Avenue in the Bronx , the street that Fred Milano lived on. There were several stages in their history, including the 1958–1960 period with Dion DiMucci , when the group was named Dion and the Belmonts . At this time Mastrangelo handled the bass parts, Milano the tenor, DiMucci the lead vocals and D'Aleo the falsetto.
Career
1955 to 1960
The Belmonts very first single, "Teenage Clementine" / "Santa Margherita", was recorded in 1957 for Mohawk Records. Also recording on the Mohawk label was Dion DiMucci , who joined the group as lead singer|vocalist shortly thereafter. Now known asDion and the Belmonts , they recorded, "We Went Away" / "Tag Along", on Mohawk before leaving for the newly formed Laurie Records .
Their first release on Laurie, "I Wonder Why", brought them immediate success, charting Billboard at No. 22 in 1958. This led to their first appearance on the nationally televised American Bandstand show, hosted by Dick Clark. They followed up with the ballads, "No One Knows" (No. 19) and "Don’t Pity Me" (No. 40), which they also performed on Bandstand. In 1959, Dion and The Belmonts were part of the historic Winter Dance Party tour that lost three performers in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa; Buddy Holly , Ritchie Valens , and J. P. Richardson The Big Bopper . DiMucci was offered a seat on the plane by Holly, but thought the fee of $35 was too much for such a short plane ride and declined.DiMucci, Dion: The Wanderer , page 89. Beech Tree Books, 1988 Photographs taken at the concert the night before the accident show Buddy Holly filling in on drums for the Belmonts, whose drummer had frostbite.
Shortly after the tragedy, the quartet Chart-topper|hit again with, "A Teenager in Love". It became the groups first release to break the Top Ten, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their appearance on American Bandstand was without D'Aleo, however, who was on duty with the Navy. At various times the group performed without him. During one national TV appearance on Clark's Saturday night program ("Live from the little theater on 44th St. in Manhattan"), D'Aleo was filmed in navy uniform, arriving just in time for the filming session. There were several picture sleeves from this era that did not picture D'Aleo, although he performed on all the recordings.
Dion and The Belmonts recorded and charted a few more songs , including their biggest hit, " Where or When ", which soared to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1960. The flip side, "That's My Desire", highlighting D'Aleo's soaring falsetto, also received considerable airplay. This time their appearance on American Bandstand featured all four members once again.
Due to musical and financial differences between DiMucci and other members of the Belmonts, Dion decided to leave the group. DiMucci was also struggling with a heroin problem at the time. http://www.history-of-rock.com/dion_dimucci.htm The History Of Rock And Roll They carried on as "The Belmonts", with Mastrangelo now singing the lead human voice|vocal parts. Before leaving the Laurie label, they released a rendition of " We Belong Together (Robert & Johnny song)|We Belong Together " (the Robert and Johnny version), which wasn't a hit but is valued today. The Belmonts continued to record throughout the 1960's on the Sabina, United Artists, and Dot record labels. The trio had six songs on the US Top 100 between 1961 and 1963. Their greatest, "Tell Me Why", released in 1961 on the Sabrina (aka Sabina) label,Rob Finnis 1988: liner notes CD Carlo and the Belmonts Greil Marcus 1990: liner notes CD Cigars, Acappella, Candy reached #18. Other charted songs included, "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "I Need Someone", "Come On Little Angel", "Diddle-Dee-Dum" and "Ann-Marie". Their rare and highly collectable album from this period was ''The Belmonts' Carnival of Hits , which consisted of their Sabina recordings. These songs have often been reissued in combination with other "Dion and the Belmonts" recordings.
After the hit, "Come On Little Angel", Mastrangelo left the group and was replaced by Frank Lyndon . Mastrangelo attempted a solo (music)|solo career on Laurie Records, releasing four singles under the name of "Carlo". He was backed on all recordings by the uncredited Tremonts and the Demilles. His most notable recording, though unsuccessful, being "Stranger in My Arms", written by Ernie Maresca . The flip side, "Ring-A-Ling" was a favorite of New York disc jockey Murray The K. He featured it on his weekly "Record Review Board Contest", and it clearly won as the best new release. In 1963 he recorded an up-tempo rock'n'roll version of " Mairzy Doats " which was very different from the original. Another release, "Baby Doll", received considerable airplay in Florida but didn't make the national charts. Between 1964 and 1966 Mastrangelo was also Dion's occasional songwriting partner and drummer in the group, "Dion and the Wanderers". They released three singles for Columbia Records, and made national appearances on "The Lloyd Thaxton Show" and Dick Clark's, "Where The Action Is". In late 1966, the three original Belmonts, Mastrangelo, Milano, and D'Aleo, reunited with DiMucci and released the album, "Dion & The Belmonts Together Again ", for ABC Records . Mastrangelo once again played drums, as well as vocals, and DiMucci contributed guitar to reduce the need for additional session musicians. Shortly after, DiMucci again left the Belmonts, with Lyndon returning. Lyndon continued as lead singer of the Belmonts for the next five years and was replaced by Warren Gradus in the early 70's. Later, they became a quartet with Milano, D'Aleo, Gradus, and Daniel Elliott (née Rubado, ex- The Monterays , Glenn Miller Orchestra) who joined in 1974.
In 1968, D'Aleo and Milano composed the lyrics for a vocal version of the instrumental theme to the Mission:Impossible TV series, which was recorded by the Kane Triplets .
1972 to 1990
Mastrangelo, D'Aleo, Milano, and DiMucci reunited on June 2, 1972, at the Felt Forum in New York, for a Richard Nader "Rock and Roll Revival" concert. Their live performance was released as an album by Warner Brothers titled, "Dion and The Belmonts – Reunion: Live at Madison Square Garden 1972". However, there were no new studio recordings made with The Belmonts and Dion, as DiMucci was still contracted to Warner as a solo artist. A year later, in 1973, all four original members reunited once again, doing a sold out concert at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, New York. No recording of the 1973 reunion was ever released. In 1972 the Belmonts (Milano, Gradus, D'Aleo, and friends) recorded an acappella album titled, "Cigars, Acappella, Candy", for Buddah Records. It was distinguished for its medley of 13 doo-wop tracks called "Street Corner Symphony". Mastrangelo and Lyndon, their two former lead singers from the 1960's, also did backing vocals on the acapella album. In 1975, The Belmonts (Milano, D'Aleo, Gradus, and Elliott) released one single on Laurie Records, and an album called "Cheek to Cheek" for Strawberry Records a year later. In 1981, The Belmonts recorded a single with Freddy Cannon , entitled "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock and Roll", for MiaSound Records. The record charted for four weeks, peaking at #81 on Billboard.
The Belmonts with Freddy Cannon appeared on SolidGold (TV series)|Solid Gold and other shows to promote the single and had a musical role in H. B. Halicki 's 1982 movie The Junkman . Also in 1981, The Belmonts and Freddy Cannon joined forces in New York with Bo Diddley on guitar and together recorded the track "Shake It Sally", released in 1982 on the "Rock 'n Roll Traveling Show" album (Downtown D-20001).
Mastrangelo released a progressive rock album in 1972 on Thimble Records titled, "Pulse-featuring Carlo Mastrangelo". It received a small amount of airplay on New York rock stations WPLJ, and WLIR, but overall was unsuccessful. DiMucci also recorded with a group of Belmonts in the mid 1980s - consisting of Mastrangelo, Louis Colletti , and Tommy Moran (Colletti and Moran were backing vocalists on DiMucci's 1992 album entitled Dream On Fire ). Meanwhile, D'Aleo left the original group, leaving the trio of Milano, Gradus, and Elliott. Art Loria also came in for singing duties in the mid- to late 1980s. Loria was later active in The Jive Five , Larry Chance and the Earls and Doo Wop All Stars ; he died on October 23, 2010, In 1988 the Belmonts released a Christmas album called "The Belmonts Acappella Christmas" with songs written by George David Weiss .
Dan Elliot and Warren Gradus also moonlighted on Laurie Records in the late 1970s under the alias, Foreign Intrigue , releasing three singles.
1994 On.....
In 1994, a lawsuit was filed by Fred Milano and Warren Gradus claiming trademark infringement against DiMucci, Mastrangelo, and D'Aleo. The suit alleged that while DiMucci had agreed to reunite with Milano, he had also simultaneously agreed to take part in a reunion with Mastrangelo and D'Aleo. Milano won the lawsuit.
In December 2009, The Belmonts released the Christmas single "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle". In 2009 The Belmonts also released the Compact disc|CD , The Belmonts Anthology Vol.1 Featuring A Hundred Pounds of Clay . "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" was released as a CD single in 2010.
The Belmonts, featuring Elliot, Milano, Gradus and D'Aleo, performed 50 to 100 shows each year until 2011. Milano passed away on January 1st, 2012, at the age of 72. http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2012.html Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed January 2, 2012
