Dion Francis DiMucci (named after the Dionne Quintuplets) was born on July 18, 1939 to Pasquale (Pat) and Frances DiMucci. He, along with his two younger sisters, Joan and Donna, grew up on 183rd Street, in what was and still is an ethnically strong Italian neighborhood in the Bronx, affectionately referred to as Arthur Avenue. 

Dion's father was a puppeteer and performed on the fringes of a dying Vaudeville. He would often take his son on his Borscht Belt tours (NY Catskill Mountains Resorts), giving Dion a first hand look at "Show Business". When Dion was approximately ten years old he heard a sound on the radio that ignited a musical fire in him. That sound was the music of Hank Williams. It was something entirely different from anything he had previously heard, and by the time Dion was thirteen he owned nearly everything that Hank Williams had recorded. With a second hand guitar, (a gift from an uncle) his career began.  At that time Dion was a streetwise teenager with a hunger and passion about to explode. The street corners and the local bars were where Dion would develop his musical skills. Soon his father began bringing him around to perform on Radio and TV shows, such as the Paul Whitman Show. He even took Dion to the Roxy Theatre where he sang with Tony Bennett. 

Dion continued singing on the stoops and street corners, while listening to the great doo-wop groups of the era (The Cadillacs, The Spaniels, etc.) He soon formed a vocal group with some neighborhood guys, Angelo D'Aleo, Freddie Milano, and Carlo Mastrangelo. This was also time that Dion became involved with drug use and local gangs, such as the Fordham Daggers and later the Fordham Baldies (immortalized by Richard Price's book and movie "The Wanderers). He also met his girlfriend Susan, later to become his wife. Susan had just moved to the Bronx from Vermont just a month before meeting Dion. Talk about culture shock. She grew up on a farm. Susan was like no other girl Dion had ever met before. They were destined to experience life together and formed a bond of love that would last forever. 

Dion, Freddie, Carlo and Angelo, came together calling themselves The Belmonts, taking their name after Belmont Avenue in their neighborhood, The group rehearsed their music on street corners, hallways and subway platforms. The neighbors used to hear the Belmonts harmonizing in the alleys of apartment buildings. In 1957, Phil Noto, a local song writer, took Dion down to audition for Bob and Gene Schwartz, who had just formed Mohawk Records. Dion sang the Five Satins song "Wonderful Girl" and from that audition came Dion's first record, "The Chosen Few". It was a hokey record made using a tape of a background vocal group, The Timberlanes. Dion never even met The Timberlanes whose conductor was Hugh Montenegro. This record actually got some air play, especially, for some unknown reason, in Boston. Fortunately for us, Dion wanted his music to go in a different direction. He brought The Belmonts down to the studio with him and in the spring of 1958 they recorded "I Wonder Why" for Laurie Records (previously Mohwak Records). This was Dion's first Hit! It came onto Billboards Top Twenty and landed the group on American Bandstand. They were off and running and in 1959 their record "Teenager in Love", written by Doc Pomus, reached the top 5 on the national charts. Fate was at hand, Dion's life and career almost came to an abrupt halt when the group went on the Winter Dance Party tour with Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. As history tells it, Buddy Holly, tired of riding on a frigid school bus, rented a small plane to fly him to Fargo, North Dakota, the next stop on the tour, so he could get his laundry done and sleep in a warm room. Dion passed on this plane ride because the $36.00 cost matched his parents monthly rent. This "coincidence" saved Dion's life when, on 2/3/59, the plane crashed killing everyone onboard. 

The problems were not over for The Belmonts. After a few more hits, including the Rodgers and Hart standard "Where Or When", it became apparent that The Belmonts and Dion wanted take their music in very different directions. The Belmonts wanted to continue with their smooth harmonizing and the old standards, while Dion wanted to move into Rock and Roll. Which resulted in the breakup of the group. The breakup had a the impact of Martin and Lewis, or the Beatles calling it an end. Dion remained with Laurie Records as a solo performer, with hit after hit. In 1961 Dion co-wrote with Ernie Maresca, another guy from the neighborhood. That song was "Runaround Sue", Dion's only No. 1 hit on the national charts. That record was quickly followed up in 1962 with "The Wanderer" reaching No. 2 on the national charts and is considered to be Dion's signature song. The hits continued and by the end of 1963 Dion had racked up a total of 9 top ten hits. Dion, now a Teen Idol, was featured in two Rock and Roll movies, "Twist Around the Clock" and "Teenage Millionaire". Unfortunately, "Ten Girls Ago", the one movie he starred in with the great silent screen comedian, Buster Keaton, and fellow comic actor Burt Lahr (best remembered as The Lion in The Wizard of Oz) was never released. 

Dion still wanting to grow musically, left Laurie records and became the first Rock and Roll artist to sign with Columbia Records. His hits continued as he recorded "Ruby Baby" and "Donna The Prima Donna", which he wrote about his sister(Donna). On March 23, 1963, Dion married Susan Butterfield. But things were not to go smoothly for Dion. As he would later say, he had fame, fortune, and married his childhood sweetheart, but something was missing. Columbia Records was trying to push Dion away from Rock and Roll and mold him into a Frank Sinatra clone. The American music scene was being overwhelmed by the Beatles and the British Invasion, and Dion, himself, was falling victim to his drug use. After "Drip Drop" and a remake of Chuck Berry's "Johnnie B. Goode', Dion disappeared from the pop charts. But this was far from the end of Dion or his music. He began hanging out in Greenwich Village, listening to the music emanating there, and John Hammond, over at Columbia turned Dion on to the Country Blues.  Dion began to record what can be best described as the "Bronx Blues". Although this material never charted, it is now available on a double CD on the Sony, Legacy label, entitled "Dion, The Road I'm On, A Retrospective". There was even an attempt at a reunion with the Belmonts and Laurie Records in 1966 which did not happen. 

In 1967 drugs and alcohol were taking a toll on Dion. In an attempt to break away Dion, Susan and their first child, Tane (born in Nov.of 66) moved to Miami Florida to be closer to Susan's parents. It was there Dion finally got to know his father-in-law, Jack, a recovered alcoholic, and a spirit filled man with a personal relationship with the Lord. In April of 1968 Dion's life was changed forever. Susan's half brother tragically died, and Dion accompanied his father-in-law to Baltimore to claim the body. It was that night in the Baltimore Hotel room that Jack convinced Dion to put his problems in God's hands. On April 1, 1968 with a very simple prayer, Dion asked for God's help and God answered immediately by removing the compulsion for his addictions. 

Dion then recorded "Abraham Martin And John", a 10th top ten hit. This record brought Dion back in the limelight, and Dion regained fame, and became vibrant once again. But the limelight was no longer important to him. He was now setting his own pace, singing in small clubs and coffee houses and writing music that meant something to him. He has always said that his music has been like a diary, a way to express himself when other avenues were closed to him. He signed with Warner Brothers and released some critically acclaimed, successful albums with such titles as "Sanctuary" "Sit Down Old Friend" and "Suite For Late Summer". You can just feel the peace in the titles. The albums do indeed possess some musical treasures. "Born To Be With You" produced by Phil Spector, released only in the United Kingdom. In 1979 Dion released an album on the Lifesong label, entitled "Return of The Wanderer". Many people thought this would be Dion's comeback album, however the floundering record label failed to put their resources and effort behind it. Writers claim that this album was the Sleeper Album of 1979. It has been re-released on CD by both ACE and DCC Compact, and should not be missed. 

Dion now used his time to heal old wounds and draw closer to his family which had grow to include three beautiful daughters Tane, Lark and August. Again, Dion began to focus his music on God. It was still Dion music but it was God centered not self-centered. In the early and mid eighties he recorded four Gospel albums, one of which, "I Put Away My Idols" won a Dove award and was nominated for a Grammy in 1983. 

Dion, seemed to be a man at peace with himself. In the winter of 87, Dion received a telephone call from WCBS-FM, a very popular oldies radio station in New York City. They wanted him to headline their 15th Anniversary Show at Radio City Music Hall. He was rarely performing his oldies. In fact the last major oldies show he had done was the 1972 Madison Square Garden reunion Concert with the Belmonts. (available on CD by Rhino). Since that time he had been refusing all attempts to bring him back into the oldies arena. Something inside him made him say yes, and when the 6/19/87 Concert was announced it sold out in less than 20 minutes. A second day was added and it sold out in less than an hour. Dion has said that night put together what he had been doing, what he was doing , and what he wanted to do. After the concert event came an album for Arista Records, "Yo Frankie", and an autobiography entitled "The Wanderer", co authored with Davin Seay. Jan 18th. 1989 Dion was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

Since that time Dion continues to record and entertain for over five decades. The Heartthrob, Teen Idol with Attitude from the streets of the Bronx remains dedicated to his music. In 1993 he released a Rock and Roll Christmas CD. He is still growing musically, experimenting with new sounds, bands such as The Little Kings, offering yet another chapter in Dion's history. Dion also co-authored a wonderful book with Andi Litt Wiener. It's a wonderful concept and the title speaks for itself (Chapters; Writing the Adventures of Your Life) published by Health Communications, Inc. 

Who knows what else we may expect from Dion Di Mucci in time to come. There is a Bio-Pic in the works and soundtrack, as well as a re-mix and release on the Ace label. As for Dion, he said he is the only father (and now grandfather) who plays his music louder than his children. He just Rocks On, remaining creative and vibrant and his fans love him. 

The above profile was provided by the Official Dion Web Site:

Official Dion Web Site

Dion was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.  The following information was obtained from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: 

Singer Dion DiMucci, better known simply as Dion, epitomized the indigenous music of the Bronx streets where he grew up. In 1957, he teamed with three neighborhood pals - Fred Milano, Angelo D'Aleo and Carlo Mastrangelo - to form a vocal group that earned a reputation as the best streetcorner singers for miles. Dion and the Belmonts (named for Belmont Avenue, in the Bronx) perfected four-part harmonies while falling under the spell of rock and roll. The quartet combined the doo-wop sound of their home turf with a raft of rock and roll and R&B influences that included Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. With the encouragement of Dion's parents, the budding singer got signed to the New York-based Mohawk label (later Laurie Records) and was initially groomed as a solo singer. Soon after his debut single, "The Chosen Few," Dion brought the Belmonts on board.

In early 1958, Dion and the Belmonts recorded their first Top Forty hit, "I Wonder Why." A year later, they cracked the Top Ten with "A Teenager in Love," written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. That winter, as the single moved up the charts, Dion and the Belmonts joined the Winter Dance Party, a package tour. Because he balked at paying the $35 it would have cost him, Dion declined an invitation to fly on the chartered plane that went down on February 3rd, 1959, killing fellow musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J. P. "the Big Bopper" Richardson. Dion and the Belmonts scored their biggest hit, "Where or When," in 1960, but the group found itself being steered in a polished, adult-pop direction and Dion left to reclaim his rock and roll roots. In 1961, he hit upon a loose, swaggering style that he could call his own with the songs "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer." At this time, Dion was among nearly alone among all the "teen idols" in attempting to equal the sultry charge that Elvis Presley had brought to rock and roll. Other hits in the same swinging, spontaneous vein followed: "Lovers Who Wander," "Little Diane," "Ruby Baby," "Donna the Prima Donna."

Dion's star subsequently dimmed in the wake of the British Invasion and some personal setbacks that included a struggle with drug addiction. However, he re-emerged in 1968 with a more introspective, folk-based style that earned him his tenth Top Ten song, a thoughtful ode to slain martyrs entitled "Abraham, Martin and John." In 1973, he reunited with the Belmonts for a concert at Madison Square Garden that resulted in a well-received live album, Reunion. Subsequently, the ever-versatile Dion added Christian music to a stylistic canon that includes folk, doo-wop, rhythm & blues, and rock and roll.