Mark Dinning
Encyclopedia
Max Edward Dinning was an American
pop music
singer. In February 1960, the song "Teen Angel
", written by his sister Jean (Eugenia)(March 29, 1924 — February 22, 2011) and her husband (Mark's brother-in-law) Red Surrey, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Charts
. Jean and two of her sisters, Virginia and Lucille, comprised the "The Dinning Sisters" , a popular singing trio in the 1940s. Following the February 2011 death of Jean Dinning
, only two (Virginia, aka "Ginger", and Dolores, aka "Tootsie") of the nine siblings are still alive.
, the youngest of nine children, and was raised on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee
after his family relocated from Kansas
. He followed his sisters and pursued a career in country music
and, in 1957, record producer
Wesley Rose
signed him to a recording contract
as Mark Dinning.
His recording
efforts met with limited success until 1959, when "Teen Angel" became a hit. The lyrics, which told of the death of a teenage girl, were deemed by British radio stations to be too morbid to be aired, but it reached #37 on the UK Singles Chart
. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
.
Dinning had an addiction to alcohol that eventually ended his career. His repeated appearances at performances too intoxicated to perform caused promoters to stop booking him and he faded from public view. Although Dinning never duplicated the success of "Teen Angel", he had three minor hit records in the ensuing years.
in Jefferson City, Missouri
, aged 52.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer. In February 1960, the song "Teen Angel
Teen Angel (song)
"Teen Angel" is a teenage tragedy song written by Jean Dinning and her husband, Red Surrey, and performed by both Jean's brother, Mark Dinning, and Alex Murray in 1959....
", written by his sister Jean (Eugenia)(March 29, 1924 — February 22, 2011) and her husband (Mark's brother-in-law) Red Surrey, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Charts
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Jean and two of her sisters, Virginia and Lucille, comprised the "The Dinning Sisters" , a popular singing trio in the 1940s. Following the February 2011 death of Jean Dinning
Jean Dinning
Jean Dinning was an American singer and songwriter, best-known for co-writing, with her then-husband, Red Surrey, the 1959 hit song "Teen Angel", the most popular version of which was sung by her brother Mark Dinning....
, only two (Virginia, aka "Ginger", and Dolores, aka "Tootsie") of the nine siblings are still alive.
Biography
Max Edward Dinning was born in Manchester, OklahomaManchester, Oklahoma
Manchester is a town in Grant County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 104 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Manchester is located at ....
, the youngest of nine children, and was raised on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
after his family relocated from Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. He followed his sisters and pursued a career in country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and, in 1957, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Wesley Rose
Wesley Rose
Wesley Rose was an American music industry executive and record producer.The son of songwriter Fred Rose, he was born in Chicago, Illinois, and studied to become a Chartered Accountant...
signed him to a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
as Mark Dinning.
His recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
efforts met with limited success until 1959, when "Teen Angel" became a hit. The lyrics, which told of the death of a teenage girl, were deemed by British radio stations to be too morbid to be aired, but it reached #37 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
Dinning had an addiction to alcohol that eventually ended his career. His repeated appearances at performances too intoxicated to perform caused promoters to stop booking him and he faded from public view. Although Dinning never duplicated the success of "Teen Angel", he had three minor hit records in the ensuing years.
Death
Mark Dinning continued performing until his death from a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
, aged 52.
Singles
| Year | Title | US Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B |
UK |
AUS Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | "Teen Angel Teen Angel (song) "Teen Angel" is a teenage tragedy song written by Jean Dinning and her husband, Red Surrey, and performed by both Jean's brother, Mark Dinning, and Alex Murray in 1959.... " |
1 | 5 | 37 | 3 | MGM 12845 |
| 1960 | "A Star Is Born (A Love Has Died)" | 68 | -- | -- | 32 | MGM 12888 |
| 1960 | "The Lovin' Touch" | 84 | -- | -- | -- | MGM 12929 |
| 1961 | "Top Forty, News, Weather And Sports" | 81 | -- | -- | 17 | MGM 12980 |