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NFT: Does anyone here remember Dion and the Belmonts?

Ira : 3/21/2019 7:30 am
Every now and then I love to listen to them again. They had such a happy sound. Dion also had a great solo career. Here's clip that they did about 10 years ago.
Link - ( New Window )
Here's a short (1 minute) clip of Dion on Oprah.  
Ira : 3/21/2019 7:32 am : link
Notice the smiles on everyone's faces.
Watch Oprah dance!!! - ( New Window )
Just from the movie the Wanderers  
pjcas18 : 3/21/2019 7:34 am : link
Runaround Sue and the Wanderer.

oldies classics, way before my time, even before my parents time I think, but sometimes growing up we'd listen to the oldies station and they'd always play Dion or Dion and the Belmonts - not sure which was which.

good stuff, good sound, I love that style of oldies and old mo-town.
He's still playing...  
rnargi : 3/21/2019 7:44 am : link
Get his albums "Tank Full of Blues" from 2012, it's fantastic. and his latest, "New York is My Home"...you won't be disappointed. There's also a hard to find album from 2017 called Kickin' Child which is a release of a bunch of songs he recoreded in the early 60s but were never released.
Yeah I certainly do remember them. Was 8 or 9 when they first  
Giants61 : 3/21/2019 7:47 am : link
became famous. I always enjoyed their up tempo version of the Doo Wop sound from the later 50's and then Dion's music in the early 60's
Here's a longer clip where Dion talks about his background  
Ira : 3/21/2019 7:56 am : link
and his music.
Dinner With Dion - ( New Window )
Check out  
jintsjunkie : 3/21/2019 8:45 am : link
the movie "The Wanderers." About the Bronx in the early '60s. Dion/Belmonts music and a whole lot more.
Dion really changed his style up as the years went on  
Anakim : 3/21/2019 9:03 am : link
I mean from Runaround Sue and the Wanderer to Abraham, Martin and John? Talk about polar opposites.
RE: Just from the movie the Wanderers  
KeoweeFan : 3/21/2019 9:58 am : link
In comment 14350796 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
Runaround Sue and the Wanderer.

oldies classics, way before my time, even before my parents time I think, but sometimes growing up we'd listen to the oldies station and they'd always play Dion or Dion and the Belmonts - not sure which was which.

good stuff, good sound, I love that style of oldies and old mo-town.

The early doo-wop groups started as true amateurs; teenagers singing a capella on street corners (in this case Belmont Ave.) Record producers added drums and a little backup.
When Dion DiMucci went solo his songs were more orchestrated.

BTW, the sample the OP chose was a travesty; no group should ever try to recreate their originals 40 years later! Listen to the very raw teenage sound of the original. (And what was with motorcycle jackets?!; they performed in sport coats and ties in 1958!)
1958 Belmonts - ( New Window )
RE: RE: Just from the movie the Wanderers  
pjcas18 : 3/21/2019 10:06 am : link
In comment 14351018 KeoweeFan said:
Quote:
In comment 14350796 pjcas18 said:


Quote:


Runaround Sue and the Wanderer.

oldies classics, way before my time, even before my parents time I think, but sometimes growing up we'd listen to the oldies station and they'd always play Dion or Dion and the Belmonts - not sure which was which.

good stuff, good sound, I love that style of oldies and old mo-town.


The early doo-wop groups started as true amateurs; teenagers singing a capella on street corners (in this case Belmont Ave.) Record producers added drums and a little backup.
When Dion DiMucci went solo his songs were more orchestrated.

BTW, the sample the OP chose was a travesty; no group should ever try to recreate their originals 40 years later! Listen to the very raw teenage sound of the original. (And what was with motorcycle jackets?!; they performed in sport coats and ties in 1958!) 1958 Belmonts - ( New Window )


Great point. when I listen online to oldies, I don't mind remastered, I think that's just increasing the recording quality, but I hate re-recorded, that's just a different song.
RE: RE: RE: Just from the movie the Wanderers  
rnargi : 3/21/2019 10:19 am : link
In comment 14351045 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
In comment 14351018 KeoweeFan said:


Quote:


In comment 14350796 pjcas18 said:


Quote:


Runaround Sue and the Wanderer.

oldies classics, way before my time, even before my parents time I think, but sometimes growing up we'd listen to the oldies station and they'd always play Dion or Dion and the Belmonts - not sure which was which.

good stuff, good sound, I love that style of oldies and old mo-town.


The early doo-wop groups started as true amateurs; teenagers singing a capella on street corners (in this case Belmont Ave.) Record producers added drums and a little backup.
When Dion DiMucci went solo his songs were more orchestrated.

BTW, the sample the OP chose was a travesty; no group should ever try to recreate their originals 40 years later! Listen to the very raw teenage sound of the original. (And what was with motorcycle jackets?!; they performed in sport coats and ties in 1958!) 1958 Belmonts - ( New Window )



Great point. when I listen online to oldies, I don't mind remastered, I think that's just increasing the recording quality, but I hate re-recorded, that's just a different song.


I agree, for the most part, that re-recording originals sucks. But back in 1994 Blue Oyster Cult did a studio re-take on a bunch of their earlier songs, but in the vein of how they performed them live over the years. This made for some very different takes. Some of them I actually liked better than the originals, but that may be because I've seen them more than 30 times and appreciate their live sound more so than their studio sound. Most of the time, lol. It goes back and forth.
I played them on the radio many, many years ago.  
Red Dog : 3/21/2019 12:10 pm : link
Do Wop and Back Seat Music forever !
Here they are near the beginning of their careers...  
zxasqw12 : 3/21/2019 5:36 pm : link
with a very young Dick Clark...


Dion & The Belmonts - ( New Window )
Saw Dion open for Bob Dylan about 10 years ago  
Bluenatic : 3/21/2019 5:51 pm : link
.
My favorite "oldies group"  
Marty866b : 3/21/2019 7:39 pm : link
As I was born and bread in The Bronx , I loved the sound of Dion and The Belmonts. The Belmonts stood for when they sang on Belmont Ave.in the Bornx(near Fordham Road for those who know)on the street corner. Dion DiMucci overcame serious drug problems and I am glad he is still around today. Today, I believe he is living in Boca Raton and I understand that he used to (still does?)go to a certain restaurant or coffee shop with other performers in his era and do some impromptu do wop.
Ira, thanks for posting about a really great group with terrific songs.
Yep  
Carson53 : 3/22/2019 9:26 am : link
what a great band name too!
Like Gladys Knight and the Pips, LOL.
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