Song of the Day 24

Song by a band that I wish was still together

As soon as I saw the prompt for Song of the Day 24 I new immediately which song by a band that I wish was still together I would write about.

First the band is Dion and the Belmonts who started singing together on street corners in the Bronx in the late 1950’s. The came up with the name The Belmonts because 4 of the singers lived on Belmont Avenue in the Bronx.

CREDIT: YouTube – DoowopRick

Dion was the lead singer of the Italian-American doo wop and “I Wonder Why” was their biggest hit in this style and was recorded in April 1958. Dion and the Belmonts appeared on nationally televised  American Bandstand show hosted by Dick Clark.

Another favorite song from Dion and the Belmonts is The Wanderer. Of course you might say they are all my favorites!

CREDIT: YouTube – Remy Wenting

Their first major tour in late 1958 was with The Coasters, Buddy Holly and Bobby Darin. On February 2, 1959, after playing the Surf Ballroom Holly arranged to charter a plane to the next venue. Dion couldn’t afford to fly and shortly after midnight, on February 3, 1959 the plane crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa, with Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and the pilot, Roger Peterson, all being killed. If Dion had the money to fly he may have been the 5th person to perish.

In early 1960 Dion checked in to a hospital for heroin addiction and in October of that year he decided to go solo just as “Dion”. He had some great hits and in 1966 Dion and the Belmonts reunited for another album, Together Again.

Between the 50’s and 60’s Dion and the Belmonts had 100 Billboard Hot singles. The group was inducted in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000. Dion (without The Belmonts) was inducted into the In 1989, Dion without the Belmonts, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  

Both Dion and the Belmonts and Dion recorded some awesome songs and this is a band that I wish was still together for my song of the day 14.