The Belmonts

Most accounts of the Belmonts tie their story to lead vocalist Dion, born Dion DiMucci on July 18, 1939, whose presence drove their strongest chart successes. Their actual association, however, spanned just two years, even though the quartet had assembled briefly beforehand and continued long afterward. Angelo D'Aleo, born February 3, 1940, as first tenor, Fred Milano, born August 22, 1939, as second tenor, and Carlo Mastrangelo, born October 5, 1938, as baritone, grew up with Dion DiMucci near Belmont Avenue in the Bronx section of New York City. The four attended Roosevelt High School, spent their free time together, and shared an interest in singing. D'Aleo, Milano, and Mastrangelo formed a trio that adopted the name the Belmonts and cut their first sides for the Mohawk label in 1957, beginning with "Teenage Clementine," which attracted no attention. When Mastrangelo composed "We Went Away," Dion heard the number and joined the lineup, forming a quartet. They committed the track to tape for Mohawk under conductor and arranger Hugo Montenegro, who had earlier worked on an unsuccessful solo single by Dion backed by a different ensemble; the flip side received scattered local radio exposure.

The group signed with Laurie Records, a new imprint established by former Mohawk co-owner Bob Schwartz and his brother Gene. With Dion handling lead vocals, they debuted on the label with "I Wonder Why," which climbed to number 22 on the pop charts and established them as a regional favorite across New York and the Northeast. Subsequent releases "No One Knows" and "Don't Pity Me" reached numbers 19 and 40, respectively. "A Teenager in Love" peaked at number five, while "Where or When" and "When You Wish Upon a Star" propelled Dion & the Belmonts to national prominence. Although Dion received star billing and front-man attention, the group's vocal blend shone through on the majority of those hits and the album tracks they recorded together. Their personal preferences leaned toward jazz and pop ballads, whereas Dion favored tougher rock & roll and later explored blues.

In 1960 Dion launched a solo career and left the Belmonts. Contrary to the common view that the group dissolved, they maintained momentum for roughly a year afterward. The remaining trio stayed with Laurie for the single "We Belong Together," spotlighting Carlo Mastrangelo on lead, then launched their own imprint. Originally called Surprise and later Sabrina, the company settled on the name Sabina Records once the prior designations proved unavailable. Under the Surprise banner the label issued "Tell Me Why" in March 1961, which reached number 18 nationally. Follow-ups "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and "I Need Someone" charted at numbers 57 and 75. Success returned with the Sabina release "Come On Little Angel," penned by Ernie Maresca and produced by Gerry Granahan, the established songwriter and performer known as Dickie Do & the Don'ts who also managed the label; the single climbed to number 28 during summer 1962. Around the same period the Belmonts passed on first rights to Maresca's "The Wanderer," which became a signature hit for Dion. Internal disagreements over business matters and Sabina's finances prompted Mastrangelo to depart for a solo stint on Laurie. Frank Lyndon stepped in, and the revised lineup issued its debut album, Carnival of Hits, late in 1962 to leverage momentum from "Come On Little Angel."

Sabina expanded its roster by releasing "Time to Dream," credited to Buddy Christie and Buddy Sheppard, with the Belmonts providing backing vocals under the name the Holidays. The label also recorded material from Bronx acquaintance Pete Barin, yet only the Belmonts' own singles generated traction, and even that momentum faded. By 1963 the trio faced dwindling chart prospects, an undercapitalized label, and shifting listener tastes. While Dion sustained relevance and scored major solo successes through that year, the Belmonts' name and harmony style began to feel dated. A brief doo-wop resurgence in 1961 had supplied steady bookings and sales just after their Dion-era hits. Newer harmony outfits such as the Beach Boys, Jay & the Americans, and the Four Seasons introduced fresher commercial variations on the sound. The Belmonts' own singles reflected the downturn: "Diddle-Dee-Dum" reached number 53 and "Ann-Marie" number 86 in 1963.

Sabina issued several additional non-charting Belmonts releases before folding in 1964. The group moved to United Artists Records that year and completed its final sessions from this era in 1966. They disbanded that year yet reunited in 1967 for the ABC album Together Again, which brought them back together with Dion. Activity continued with the 1969 Dot album Summer Love.

Visibility returned during the early-1970s oldies revival. The Belmonts recorded the Buddah album Cigars Acappella Candy, featuring both classic oldies and contemporary material such as "My Sweet Lord" and "Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)." In 1972 they rejoined Dion for a landmark concert at New York's Madison Square Garden that sold out and yielded the live recording Live at Madison Square Garden 1972. Milano, Mastrangelo, and D'Aleo participated; the original Warner Bros. LP received studio enhancement, whereas later reissues, including the Rhino CD, drew from unadulterated concert tapes. The event and subsequent 1973 performances allowed everyone involved to revisit past glory. Dion resumed solo work while the Belmonts kept performing, releasing the 1978 album Cheek to Cheek and scoring a nostalgia-driven hit in 1981 with "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock N Roll," a collaboration with fellow early-1960s veteran Freddy Cannon. Their post-Dion catalog reappeared on Relic Records and England's Ace label, which has systematically reissued nearly every available recording by both Dion and the Belmonts. As of 1996 Fred Milano continued to represent the group.