Dion
With one foot in the ‘50s and one in the future, very early on Dion blended R&B with doo-wop and helped ring in the age of rock and roll. Of all the great first-generation rockers, he is the only one to transcend genres and generations to remain relevant deep into the 21st Century. At a very young age, he showed a gift for music, his first love being Hank Williams whose authentic country approach was at odds with the urban Bronx environment in which Dion DiMucci was raised. Beyond Hank, young Dion was influenced by R&B pioneers like Bo Diddley and Fats Domino as well as rockabilly cats including Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis. While still in his teens, he formed a singing group with other kids from his Bronx neighborhood; Dion & The Belmonts went on to become a sensation with hits like “I Wonder Why,” “A Teenager In Love,” Where or When,” “No One Knows” before Dion and the group parted ways.
Thereafter, his success snowballed with a steady stream of his solo hits including “Runaround Sue,” “Lonely Teenager,” “Ruby Baby,” “Donna The Primadonna,” “Drip Drop,” and his signature song “The Wanderer.” While he was successful on the charts, his personal life, underscored by his use of drugs and alcohol, was a shambles until he turned his life around and recommitted to his faith. With his struggle resolved, he came roaring back toward the end of the ‘60s with “Abraham, Martin and John,” a contemplative look at contemporary times that galvanized the nation and provided solace in the wake of multiple tragedies. His key role in the culture was graphically saluted by the Beatles who included him on the cover of their hallmark “Sgt. Pepper’s” album
Over the years, his musical focus shifted to folk music and the blues while staying true to his rock ‘n’ roll roots and proved himself to be a much-celebrated guitarist, something of a surprise for those who only knew him from his early hits. In recent times, he’s explored the blues with a series of critically lauded albums that have been highlighted by collaborations with a who’s who great musicians including Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Shemekia Copeland, Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen, Billy Gibbons, Carlene Carter Steve Van Zandt, Van Morrison, Jeff Beck and others.
He’s the author of Dion: The Wanderer Talks Truth as well as the autobiography The Wanderer: Dion’s Story, and just last year The Rock ‘n’ Roll Philosopher. He was recently saluted with the American Music Honors at Monmouth University’s Bruce Springsteen Center. Dion was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Lou Reed in 1989 at which time he characterized Dion’s music as “Bronx soul,” going on to say about his idol, “He had the chops and practically invented the attitude. Who could be hipper than Dion?” Who, indeed?