My aunt lived in Belmont and my cousin went to school with Dion. My aunt used to dump pots of water on their heads when they harmonized under the window on Sunday nights. She used to yell down to them that they were just a bunch of bums while she was a working woman who needed her sleep.
Ha ha What a neat (and funny) story SB. I would have loved to have been in that area during the street corner Doo-Wop singers. I can't imagine not liking it. They sounded so good.
TIS
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind. War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." JFK
I remember the Alan Freed shows. In early 60s right? Don't remember if they ever had them in my area but if so, I never got to see his shows. Wasn't Freed the topic of a movie also? Can't remember title.
TIS
TIS, the Freed shows ran in NYC from 1955-60. He didn't have a movie about him, but he was in several really cheap "B" movies about R&R that were made in the Fifties and featured some of the acts he used in his shows.
Ntra la porta tua lu sangu � sparsu, E nun me mporta si ce muoru accisu... E s'iddu muoru e vaju mparadisu Si nun ce truovo a ttia, mancu ce trasu.
Freed's end was sad, TB. He died young and in obscurity because of that payola nonsense. And let's face it, so-called "payola" is just the way of the world .
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.
I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news that Dion and the Belmonts split up. (My dad's car ... I heard it on the news). My sister (then about 18) was a huge fan of theirs and I wanted to get home quickly to tell her the news. She had already heard about it (and was upset).
Dion and Frankie Valli had the "New York music" thing down pat back in those days.
At certain social gatherings, I will play "Runaround Sue" on the guitar. Everyone of age loves to sing that that song. Ah, youth.
Oh yea, a fun sing-a-long song. One of my favorite Dion songs. Oh, speaking of Dion songs, what about Ruby Baby? Another good tune.
TIS
Last edited by The Italian Stallionette; 05/16/1406:06 PM.
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind. War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." JFK
Pretty surprising to see a white and black group during the 50s.
The first integrated doo-wop group was the Crests. Two Italians, a Puerto Rican and a Black guy. And Luther Vandross's aunt actually sang with them for awhile, too. Johnny Maestro on the lead, and he sang like an angel until the day he died.
RIP Gianni Mastrangelo .
"I got news for you. If it wasn't for the toilet, there would be no books." --- George Costanza.