Though pretty much all of it was released before I was born, I am a lover and listener of music from the 50s-early 2000s. Classic rock is definitely my favorite, though I listen to anything. As an aspiring and passionate screenwriter, I love exploring all kinds of music, which has helped me learn a variety of bands and songs, especially when I took the time to write a screenplay biopic on my second favorite artist: Buddy Holly!
I have to thank my dad first and foremost for my love and knowledge of music because he first introduced me to classic rock, which inevitably led to me researching more bands and singers. Though I have many people to thank for their contributions to my knowledge and love for music, it all started from car rides with my dad.
And now, presenting…
DION DIMUCCI
ORIGIN: Absolutely loving Hank Williams music and listening to him on the radio, Dion DiMucci grasped onto music from an early age. Born in the Bronx of New York, Dion was surrounded by neighborhoods with high crime due to the prevalence of gangs. This was during the time of Italian organized crime, otherwise known as mafia, as they secretly controlled the streets of New York. Where Dion lived, which was part of a tenement complex, the superintendent played the blues. His name was Willy Green, and Dion loved how he played. Willy Green taught Dion a lot about music and how to play. At school, Dion’s teachers didn’t think he knew what he wanted…but they just couldn’t see it. All Dion wanted to do was get out of school so he could find Willy Green jamming out to some blues on the streets. Willy Green became an early inspiration for Dion, as he later was taken to a recording studio when he was between 16-17 years old. There, Dion sang one of his classic hits most people know today. It goes like this, “Each night I ask the stars up above… why must I be a teenager in love?”
Yep, it was “A Teenager in Love” that got him signed up by the record studio. It would go on to hit Top 5 nationally.
THE BELMONTS: Dion then started a group with three others, who were Fred Milano, Carlo Mastrangelo, and Angelo D’Aleo. Together, they were known as Dion & The Belmonts. They called themselves “The Belmonts” because of Belmont Avenue right in the Bronx. Dion & The Belmonts were the first Italian-American rock and roll group to become popular by performinng Doo-Wop style of music, further inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. Together, Dion & The Belmonts saw success from their biggest hits such as “A Teenager in Love”, “Where or When”, and of course their biggest hit… “I Wonder Why”. Though the group saw success with timeless hits such as “I Wonder Why”, Dion left the group after two years to pursue a solo career. Though The Belmonts tried to stick together without Dion, their only hit came from the song “Come Little Angel”. Dion and The Belmonts periodically joined together throughout the 60s and 70s, as they left off on good terms.
SOLO: The biggest hits from Dion can be seen during his solo career, as he penned a handful of classic songs that saw success and are still played till this day. After leaving The Belmonts in 1960, Dion created classic hits such as “The Wanderer”, “Runaround Sue”, “Lovers Who Wander”, and “Donna the Prima Donna”. Each song was based on real people. Though named Sue, “Runaround Sue” was based on a girl named Roberta. However, Dion describes that it’s very difficult to rhyme with Roberta AND make it flow well in the song. So, he changed it to Sue…which seemed to be a popular name in the 50s songs such as “Peggy Sue” by Buddy Holly, “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard, and of course “Runaround Sue” by Dion. Even “The Wanderer” was based on real people. One man in particular was Jackie Berns, whose inspiration in the song was the lyric, “Rosie on my left, and there’s Mary on the right. Janie is the girl that I’ll be with tonight! And when she asks me which one I love the best, I tear open my shirt with Rosie on my chest ‘cause I’m the wanderer!”
Jackie Berns actually had tattoos of girl’s names all over his body. This inspired “The Wanderer” as Dion wrote the song, also stating that the Wanderer himself is based on a combination of guys he knew from the Bronx.
WINTER DANCE PARTY: Just before his split with The Belmonts, Dion & The Belmonts were part of the Winter Dance Party tour that took place from January-February in 1959. Accompanied by Dion & The Belmonts were Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and Frankie Sardo. Dion, only 19 at the time, enjoyed the tour. Dion would even sing with them throughout the bus rides until the old school buses inevitably broke down due to the freezing temperatures. When Dion heard Buddy wanted to fly a plane, he had no intentions to fly. Though he wasn’t asked, Dion saw the plane ticket was $36.00 and it brought back harsh memories when his parents would fight over the rent…which was $36.00. Dion was distraught as he discovered the plane crash the next morning on the news. He couldn’t believe it, and till this day he describes the long lasting effects it has had on him. He was just a kid when it happened.
AFTERMATH: Dion was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 by Lou Reed. After his induction, Dion continued to create music, as he still continues to make music, even partnering with others for collaborative albums. Dion endured a dark past when he was young, as he developed a drug addiction. Dion saved himself from this addiction. On April 1, 1968, Dion went down on two knees and prayed. Since then, Dion has not had a drug or drink since.
Introduced to Dion DiMucci from one of my first jobs that played classic music daily, I grew to enjoy Dion and his music-both solo and with the Belmonts. To close this segment, I’d like to share my top five favorite songs from Dion, and Dion & The Belmonts, counting down from five… 5: “The Wanderer”, 4: “Dream Lover”, 3: “Somebody Nobody Wants”, 2: “Lovers Who Wander”, 1: “Runaround Sue”.
Thank you very much for reading, and I can’t wait to write more! Be sure to check out episode two where we’ll be turning up around the bend…
sports@wrightcountymonitor.com
