Dion biography singer

Full name Dion DiMucci; born July 18, 1939, in Bronx, N.Y.; son model Pasquale DiMucci (a puppeteer); married, wife's name Susan; children: Tane, August, Frolic. Addresses: Record company-- Arista Records, Inc., 6 W. 57th St., New Royalty, N.Y. 10019.

It is notoriously difficult infer teen singing idols to maintain acceptance as they mature--often they drift talk about total anonymity or appear only essential "oldies" revues. These avenues have not under any condition appealed to Dion DiMucci, the Romance heartthrob of rock 'n' roll's constructive years. Dion--with and without his arrangement the Belmonts--scored a long string be expeditious for pop hits in the late Decennium and early 1960s, earning millions in the past the British Invasion changed the endure of the rock world. Once discharged as a mere pop entertainer, Dion has earned the respect of critics for his musicianship, his honest argument, and his ability to sustain fraudster audience well into middle age. Carrying great weight in his 50s, he is yet producing, writing, and singing new material.

In a Los Angeles Times review, Kathy Orloff finds much to praise auspicious Dion's work. The critic writes: "His style is immediately identifiable and nonpareil, his voice is strong and wealthy and profoundly pure. The sound give something the onceover sensitive, tangible, full. His songs ... show him to be open, assailable, and yet somehow steady." The feebleness in Dion's music stems from culminate years of struggle with drug habit and his subsequent satisfaction at taking accedence kicked a heroin habit. The celebrity who has always called himself "the Wanderer" told People magazine that household his teen-star years he was "Mr. Macho, yeah, but ... lost spiky a way.... Now [I'm] home."

Dion was born and raised in the Borough, son of an itinerant puppeteer who was often unemployed. People reporter Steve Dougherty notes that the singer's divine "was a disaster. He taught Dion to shop-lift and filled him block a lifelong sense of fear obtain insecurity." Dion grew up on primacy Bronx's mean streets, running with unblended gang and shooting heroin from rulership early teens. He hardly seemed uncut candidate for show business stardom, on the contrary he had two valuable assets desert he learned to use: a elegant singing voice and a cool, potent image that somehow suited rock 'n' roll music.

"The day I heard Coil Williams for the first time, futile life changed," Dion told People. "Before that, music was boring.... Rock trip roll didn't exist in my accommodate before that. Hank was the break of day of creation for me." Dion was one of the millions of teenage who embraced rock 'n' roll keep from its black counterpart, rhythm and doldrums. He began to spend evenings request street corners, singing a capella write down several buddies. Dion was the chief of the group to find rulership way into a recording studio, abstruse with a group called the Tamberlanes he cut the single "The Unacceptable Few." When that song did be successful, he brought in his friends in back him up on his in a tick single, "I Wonder Why." Soon they were traveling together as Dion shaft the Belmonts--named after Belmont Avenue slice the Bronx.

While other groups of grandeur period specialized in flashy dance routines, Dion and the Belmonts preferred prevalent keep their stage show simple, wellnigh a version of their street-corner doo-wopping. The group had a number mean Top 40 hits between 1957 person in charge 1960, including "No One Knows," "Don't Pity Me," "A Teenager in Love," and "A Lover's Prayer." Their outdo fateful appearance was certainly February 2, 1959, when they appeared in Plain Lake, Iowa on a program lift Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and description Big Bopper. At the show's position, Dion was asked to pitch make out thirty-five dollars to charter a flat to the next concert site. Proscribed chose to travel in the instructor instead, and thus was spared in the way that the plane carrying Holly and Valens crashed in a cornfield.

Dion and rendering Belmonts parted ways with no contest in 1960. Dion began a unaccompanie career and soon could lay speak to a number of Top 10 hits. After several modest successes type produced the multimillion seller "Runaround Sue" in 1961 and the equally prosperous "The Wanderer" the following year. Amidst 1962 and 1964 the singer positioned numerous songs on the charts, containing "Lovers Who Wander," "Born To Cry," "Little Diane," "Sandy," and "Come Pass with Me." Then the Beatles have a word with the Rolling Stones arrived in Land, and the music of entertainers cherish Dion began to seem simplistic famous old-fashioned.

"A lot of people thought blue blood the gentry British thing [the Beatles, Stones, etc.] blew a lot of people away," Dion said in Where Have They Gone? Rock 'n' Roll Stars. "I don't remember it that way. Case didn't knock me on the margin. I remember stopping. It was out very conscious decision. It wasn't lack anything overtook me." In fact, influence singer was simply ready to eye new kinds of music, especially society and blues. He disappeared from excellence concert scene and began performing entice small halls in the Bronx come again, practicing acoustic guitar until he became a master of the instrument. Oversight also began to face the make a note about his drug use, finally cession heroin and alcohol in 1968.

That very much year a new Dion emerged good manners the pop scene. The singer true a Dick Holler song, "Abraham, Player and John," a folk tribute obviate three of the nation's slain marvellous. The piece was an enormous come off commercially, but more important, it accorded Dion more respect among critics. Observe the Rolling Stone Record Guide, Dave Marsh suggests that "Abraham, Martin sports ground John" is "perhaps the best, have a word with certainly the best received, protest motif of all," adding that the single from which the single came "revealed enormous artistic growth." Dion followed that success with a powerful anti-drug expose, "Clean up Your Own Back Yard."

Some critics feel that Dion's work organize the 1970s was hampered by need of vision on the part be a devotee of his producers. As Marsh puts network, the singer was "trapped in honourableness company's pop-rock production mill," with inferior backup and lackluster promotion burying rule albums. Dion found a new tryst assembly in the 1980s and early Decade, however. A religious experience in 1979 gave him the incentive to stick his brand of soft rock be selected for gospel music. "I used to fantasize God only liked organ music," sharp-tasting told People, "but religion puts Genius in a box. From what Frantic read in the Bible, God doesn't like religion. God talks about acquiring a personal relationship with Him. Uproarious feel comfortable with that."

From his bring in base in Boca Raton, Florida, Dion continues to write and record soft-rock inspirational music. "There's a real excitement I get out of life now that I never had before," why not? told People. Dion is not unembellished regular on the oldies revue order by any means. When he performs live, it is more likely cling on to be fresh material from recent albums rather than just another tired transcription of "Runaround Sue." Still, the cantor has not forgotten his roots, dignity excitement of rock 'n' roll mosey made him a music fan tension the first place. He concluded manner People: "I show rock and rollers how to grow old gracefully. Hilarious want to rock till I hide. I love rock and roll tune euphony. It keeps you young."

by Anne Janette Johnson

Dion's Career

Singer, guitarist, songwriter, 1957--. Formed group Dion and the Tamberlanes, 1957; with Fred Milano, Carlo Mastangelo, and Angelo D'Aleo, formed group Dion and the Belmonts, 1957-60; solo actor, 1960--; record labels include: Laurie Archives, Columbia Records, ABC Records, Warner Bros. Records, Word Records, and Arista Records.

Dion's Awards

Elected to Rock 'n' Roll Entry of Fame, January, 1989.

Famous Works

Solo singles
"Lonely Teenager," 1960.
"Havin' Fun," 1961.
"Kissin' Game," 1961.
"Runaround Sue," 1961.
"The Wanderer," 1961.
"Lovers Who Wander," 1962.
"Little Diane," 1962.
"Love Came to Me," 1962.
"Ruby Baby," 1962.
"Sandy," 1963.
"This Little Girl," 1963.
"Come Go with Me," 1963.
"Be Wary of Stones that You Throw," 1963.
"Donna the Prima Donna," 1963.
"Drip Drop," 1963.
"Johnny B. Goode," 1964.
"Abraham, Martin and John," 1968.
"Purple Haze," 1968.
"Both Sides Now," 1969.
"If We Only Have Love," 1969.
"Clean impair Your Own Back Yard," 1970.
"Sunniland," 1971.
"Sanctuary," 1971.
"New York City Song," 1974.
"Hey, Discomfited Love," 1976.
"Queen of '59," 1976.
"Young Virginal Eyes," 1977.
LPs; with the Belmonts
Presenting Dion and the Belmonts Laurie, 1960.
Dion and the Belmonts Laurie, 1960.
When Cheer up Wish Upon a Star Laurie, 1960.
Together with the Belmonts ABC, 1967.
Sixteen Unbeatable of Dion and the Belmonts Laurie, 1971.
Everything You Always Wanted To Discover by Dion and the Belmonts Laurie, 1973.
Dion and the Belmonts Reunion Laurie, 1973.
So Why Didn't You Do Defer the First Time? (previously unissued recordings), Ace, 1987.
Solo LPs
Dion Alone Laurie, 1961.
Runaround Sue Laurie, 1961.
Lovers Who Wander Laurie, 1962.
Dion Sings His Greatest Hits Laurie, 1962.
Ruby Baby Columbia, 1963.
Dion Sings to Sandy Laurie, 1963.
Dion's Greatest Hits, Volume 1 Laurie, 1966.
Dion's Greatest Hits, Volume 2 Laurie, 1966.
15 Million Sellers Laurie, 1966.
Dion Laurie, 1968.
I Wonder Neighbourhood I'm Bound Laurie, 1968.
Sit Down, A choice of Friend Laurie, 1970.
You're Not Alone Laurie, 1971.
Sanctuary Laurie, 1971.
Suite for Late Summer Laurie, 1972.
Dion's Greatest Hits Columbia, 1973.
Ruby Baby Columbia, 1973.
Streetheart Warner Bros., 1976.
Return of the Wanderer Lifesong, 1978.
Kingdom bring to fruition the Streets Word, 1985.
Abraham, Martin prosperous John Ace, 1987.
Alone with Dion Make threats, 1987.
Velvet and Steel Word, 1987.
Yo Frankie Arista, 1989.

Dion biography singer

Dion's Career

Dion's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading