Dion Biography

Dion Francis DiMucci was born in 1939 into an Italian-American family living in New York. His father was a vaudeville entertainer, and as a child Dion used to often tag along on his gigs, developing a love of blues, doo-wop, and even country music. He learned to sing the old-fashioned way, perfecting a cappella with other singers right on the streets of New York.

Dion auditioned for Mohawk Records in 1957 and landed the deal. He sang the lead against already recorded tracks on “The Chosen Few,” and was surprised to find the single marketed as a song by Dion and the Timberlanes, a band he never even met. He found greater success, however, with Dion & the Belmonts, a group he started with his friends in the late 1950’s, featuring traditional doo-wop in the Italian-American style. Their first hit single was “I Wonder Why,” but “A Teenager in Love” was equally successful. In 1960, Dion branched out and embarked on a solo career, and changed his sound to one more suited for pop/R&B.

A string of hits followed for Dion as a solo artist, including "The Wanderer," "Runaround Sue," "Lovers Who Wander," "Ruby Baby," and "Donna the Prima Donna.”  Between 1963 and 1968, Dion took a bit of hiatus to overcome a drug addiction, but he resurfaced with a more gentle, folksy sound perfectly suited for the new decade. The successful phase lasted for a few years, and then in 1972 he surprised his fans by reuniting with the Belmonts. The group released a new album in the mid 1970’s, but to only moderate success, and Dion once again began releasing solo albums for the next few decades. Albums in the 1980’s, 1990’s, and the new millennium include Inside Job (1980), Seasons (1984), Velvet & Steel (1986), Fire in the Night (1990), Dream on Fire (1992), Deja Nu (2000), New Masters (2003), Son of Skip James (2007), Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock (2008), Tank Full of Blues (2012), and New York is My Home (2016.)

Dion’s stellar career is marked by over a dozen hits on the Top 40 charts and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. In addition to his continued contributions to music, Dion is now a vocal advocate for support of those struggling to overcome drug addiction.

Dion continues to perform and record—he most recently toured in 2015, and that same year released the collaborative single “New York is My Home,” alongside Paul Simon. The single appears on Dion’s latest album of the same name. Most recently, Dion released the album Kickin’ Child: The Lost Album 1965, consisting of previously recorded by unreleased material.