Dion and the Belmonts, from New York City , was one of
the most successful doo-wop groups that emerged during the late Fifties. Their
lead singer, Dion DiMucci, was the soulful vocal centerpiece of the band. The
band enjoyed a string of hits in the early sixties with songs such as “Lonely
Teenager,” “Runaround Sue,” “The Wanderer,” “Ruby Baby,” and “Lovers Who Wander.”
When the Belmonts disbanded in the early Sixties,
their leader, Di Mucci, would reemerge as “Dion” and record an excellent
self-titled solo album in 1968 which would feature his huge solo hit, “Abraham,
Martin and John.” The album was a departure from the doo-wop music of the
earlier period.
Dimucci’s life was spared when he opted to
not board the ill-fated flight in Clear
Lake , Iowa , that took
the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper following a concert
in February, 1959.
Dion Dimucci’s best albums with and without
the Belmonts
include “Alone with Dion” (1961), “Runaround Sue” (1961), and “Dion” (1968).
The best Dion and the Belmonts compilation is likely, “Dion & the
Belmonts-20 Greatest Hits” (1985).