DION DiMucci has followed his muse to some unexpected musical destinations – from doo-wop to folk, gospel, Christian music and the blues – but he couldn’t have done it without Hank Williams. “He took me to a place of enchantment and I have never been the same since,” says Dion. “That took me right out the Bronx and into a place that didn’t exist on this plane. My whole existence since then has been to capture that and transmit it to others. That’s what I’ve been doing all these years, trying to take people on a trip.”
And what a trip it has been. Across eight decades, Dion has toured with Buddy Holly and Sam Cooke, recorded with Phil Spector and inspired a legion of fans including Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen.
According to Bob Dylan, “Dion knows how to sing.” A fitting compliment, considering Dion began his career with vocal group the Belmonts, with whom he recorded the classic “A Teenager In Love”. After going solo he struck gold with “Runaway Sue” and “The Wanderer” before moving into other styles and genres. His current love is the blues. His latest album is Girl Friends, recorded with female artists including Carlene Carter and Susan Tedeschi and imbued with the same indomitable spirit that has driven his work since his earliest days. “Darlene Love wrote the liner notes for my new album,” he reveals. “She said, ‘Dion, when I did “He’s A Rebel” we were singing about you’.”
DION & THE BELMONTS
PRESENTING DION & THE BELMONTS
LAURIE, 1959
Bronx teenager Dion teams up with the Belmonts to produce a hit-packed debut, including “A Teenager In Love” and “Where Or When”.
