The Belmonts
Encyclopedia
The Belmonts are an American
doo-wop
group
that originated in the mid 1950s. The group consisted of Fred Milano, Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo Mastrangelo, and Nick Caruso.. The group took their first name from Belmont Avenue in the Bronx. There were several stages in their history, including the 1958–1960 period with Dion DiMucci
, when the group was named Dion and the Belmonts
. At this time Mastrangelo handled the bass parts, Milano the tenor, DiMucci the lead vocal and D'Aleo the falsetto.
, who joined the group as lead vocalist shortly thereafter. Now known as Dion and the Belmonts
, they recorded "We Went Away" and "Tag Along" for Mohawk before leaving for the newly formed record label
, Laurie Records
.
Their first release on Laurie, "I Wonder Why", brought them their first real success, charting in 1958. They followed it with the ballad
"No One Knows", which was also a hit in their local area. They continued recording and, in 1959, were part of the Winter Dance Party tour that lost three members to a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa; Buddy Holly
, Ritchie Valens
, and J. P. Richardson The Big Bopper
. The Belmonts Official website 2009. DiMucci was actually offered a seat on the plane, but thought the fee of $36 was too much for such a short plane ride. Photographs taken at the concert the night before the accident show Buddy Holly filling in on drums for the Belmonts, whose drummer was unwell with frostbite.
Almost immediately after this tragedy, the quartet
hit again with "A Teenager in Love". They recorded a few more songs, including "Where or When
", which reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart in early 1960.
At various times the group performed without D'Aleo who had been drafted into the US Navy. On one occasion, a national TV appearance on Dick Clark's Saturday night program ("Live from the little theater on 44th St. in Manhattan") was filmed with D'Aleo in navy uniform after he arrived just in time for the filming session.
parts. Their success dwindled at this point, but they continued to record through the 1960s.
Their biggest separate hit was "Tell Me Why" in 1961 on the Sabrina (aka Sabina) label. It reached #18. Other songs included "I Confess" and "Come On Little Angel". They had a total of six minor hits on the US top 100 between 1961 and 1963. In 1960, before leaving the Laurie Records
label, they released a rendition of "We Belong Together
" (the Robert and Johnny hit), which was not a hit but is valued today. Their highly collectable and rare album from this period was The Belmonts' Carnival of Hits, which consisted of their Sabina recordings. These songs have been reissued often in combination with the "Dion and the Belmonts" songs.
Mastrangelo himself would attempt a solo
career in 1962, his most notable recording, though unsuccessful, being "Stranger in My Arms", written by Ernie Maresca
. In 1963 he recorded an up-tempo rock'n'roll version of "Mairzy Doats
" which was very different from the original. He was replaced by Frank Lyndon. Between 1964 and 1966 Mastrangelo also acted as Dion's occasional songwriting partner and drummer, playing on TV appearances and on the "Dion and the Wanderers" sessions in 1965. In 1966, Mastrangelo, Milano, and D'Aleo reunited with DiMucci and released the album Together Again on ABC Records
. Mastrangelo once again played drums as well as vocals and DiMucci contributed guitar, to reduce the need for additional session musicians. Shortly thereafter, DiMucci again left the Belmonts, with Lyndon returning. Lyndon was later replaced by Warren Gradus. Later still, they were a quartet with Milano, D'Aleo, Gradus, and Daniel Elliott (née Rubado, ex-The Monterays
, Glenn Miller
Orchestra) who joined in 1974.
In 1968, D'Aleo and Milano provided lyrics for a vocal version of the instrumental theme tune to the Mission:Impossible TV series, this was recorded by the Kane Triplets.
, entitled "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock and Roll", for MiaSound Records. The record charted for four weeks, peaking at #81 on Billboard.
The band (again with Freddy Cannon
) appeared on Solid Gold
and other shows to promote the single and had a musical role in H. B. Halicki
's 1982 movie The Junkman
. Also in 1981, The Belmonts and Freddy Cannon joined forces in New York with Bo Diddley
on guitar and together recorded the track "Shake It Sally", released in 1982 on the "Rock 'n Roll Traveling Show" album (Downtown D-20001).
Mastrangelo also left the Belmonts following the live 1972 reunion and around this time released an album, not commercially successful, as leader of a progressive rock band called "Pulse".
DiMucci also recorded with a group of Belmonts in the mid 1980s - the group was Mastrangelo, Louis Colletti, and Tommy Moran
(Colletti and Moran were backing vocalists on DiMucci's 1992 album entitled Dream On Fire). Meanwhile, D'Aleo left the original group, leaving the trio of Milano, Gradus, and Elliott. Art Loria also came in for singing duties in the mid- to late 1980s. Loria was later active in The Jive Five
; he died on October 23, 2010, In 1988 the Belmonts released a Christmas album called "The Belmonts Acappella Christmas" with songs written by George David Weiss
.
Dan Elliot and Warren Gradus also moonlighted on Laurie Records in the late 1970s under the alias, Foreign Intrigue
, releasing three singles.
was filed by Fred Milano and Warren Gradus claiming trademark
infringement against DiMucci, Mastrangelo, and D'Aleo. It was alleged that, while DiMucci had agreed to reunite with Milano, he had simultaneously agreed to take part in a reunion with Mastrangelo and D'Aleo. Milano won the suit.
The Belmonts, featuring Dan Elliot, Fred Milano, Warren Gradus,still perform 50 to 100 shows each year. As of 2008, the line-up consisted of Dan Elliot, Fred Milano, Warren Gradus and Angelo D'Aleo. Thus two of the four current Belmonts are original members.
In December 2009, The Belmonts released the Christmas single "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle". In 2009 The Belmonts also released the CD
, The Belmonts Anthology Vol.1 Featuring A Hundred Pounds of Clay. "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" was released as a CD single in 2010.
1960: Wish Upon a Star (with Dion DiMucci)
1962: Carnival of Hits
1966: Together Again (with Dion DiMucci)
1969: Summer Love
1971: Cigars, Acapella, Candy
1972: Reunion (live, with Dion DiMucci)
1975: Cheek to Cheek
1982: Rock 'n' Roll Travelling Show
1988: The Season of Harmony (Acapella Christmas)
2009: Anthology, vol I
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
group
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
that originated in the mid 1950s. The group consisted of Fred Milano, Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo Mastrangelo, and Nick Caruso.. The group took their first name from Belmont Avenue in the Bronx. There were several stages in their history, including the 1958–1960 period with Dion DiMucci
Dion DiMucci
Dion Francis DiMucci , better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop oldies music, rock and R&B styles....
, when the group was named Dion and the Belmonts
Dion and the Belmonts
Dion and the Belmonts was a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci, lead singer , joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo, baritone , Freddie Milano, second tenor , and Angelo D'Aleo, first tenor , in late 1957.-History:After an unsuccessful first single,...
. At this time Mastrangelo handled the bass parts, Milano the tenor, DiMucci the lead vocal and D'Aleo the falsetto.
1955 to 1960
The Belmonts first recorded in 1957 with Teenage Clementine and Santa Margherita for Mohawk Records. Also recording on Mohawk was Dion DiMucciDion DiMucci
Dion Francis DiMucci , better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop oldies music, rock and R&B styles....
, who joined the group as lead vocalist shortly thereafter. Now known as Dion and the Belmonts
Dion and the Belmonts
Dion and the Belmonts was a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci, lead singer , joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo, baritone , Freddie Milano, second tenor , and Angelo D'Aleo, first tenor , in late 1957.-History:After an unsuccessful first single,...
, they recorded "We Went Away" and "Tag Along" for Mohawk before leaving for the newly formed record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Laurie Records
Laurie Records
Laurie Records was a record label started in 1958 by Gene Schwartz and Allan I. Sussel. Sussel was a multi-millionaire whose earlier record company, Jamie Records , had been unsuccessful. As a result, Sussel joined forces with Schwartz to found Laurie Records, this time named after his other...
.
Their first release on Laurie, "I Wonder Why", brought them their first real success, charting in 1958. They followed it with the ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
"No One Knows", which was also a hit in their local area. They continued recording and, in 1959, were part of the Winter Dance Party tour that lost three members to a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa; Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist....
, and J. P. Richardson The Big Bopper
The Big Bopper
Jiles Perry "J. P." Richardson, Jr. also commonly known as The Big Bopper, was an American disc jockey, singer, and songwriter whose big voice and exuberant personality made him an early rock and roll star...
. The Belmonts Official website 2009. DiMucci was actually offered a seat on the plane, but thought the fee of $36 was too much for such a short plane ride. Photographs taken at the concert the night before the accident show Buddy Holly filling in on drums for the Belmonts, whose drummer was unwell with frostbite.
Almost immediately after this tragedy, the quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
hit again with "A Teenager in Love". They recorded a few more songs, including "Where or When
Where or When
"Where or When" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes In Arms. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green. That same year, Hal Kemp recorded a popular version. It also appeared in the movie of the same title two years later...
", which reached #3 on the Billboard 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...
chart in early 1960.
At various times the group performed without D'Aleo who had been drafted into the US Navy. On one occasion, a national TV appearance on Dick Clark's Saturday night program ("Live from the little theater on 44th St. in Manhattan") was filmed with D'Aleo in navy uniform after he arrived just in time for the filming session.
- See also Dion and the BelmontsDion and the BelmontsDion and the Belmonts was a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group formed when Dion DiMucci, lead singer , joined The Belmonts - Carlo Mastrangelo, baritone , Freddie Milano, second tenor , and Angelo D'Aleo, first tenor , in late 1957.-History:After an unsuccessful first single,...
1960 to 1971
Due to musical and financial differences between DiMucci and other members of the Belmonts, he decided to leave the group. DiMucci was also struggling with a heroin problem at the time. They carried on as "The Belmonts," with Mastrangelo singing the lead vocalHuman voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
parts. Their success dwindled at this point, but they continued to record through the 1960s.
Their biggest separate hit was "Tell Me Why" in 1961 on the Sabrina (aka Sabina) label. It reached #18. Other songs included "I Confess" and "Come On Little Angel". They had a total of six minor hits on the US top 100 between 1961 and 1963. In 1960, before leaving the Laurie Records
Laurie Records
Laurie Records was a record label started in 1958 by Gene Schwartz and Allan I. Sussel. Sussel was a multi-millionaire whose earlier record company, Jamie Records , had been unsuccessful. As a result, Sussel joined forces with Schwartz to found Laurie Records, this time named after his other...
label, they released a rendition of "We Belong Together
We Belong Together (Robert & Johnny song)
"We Belong Together" was a 1958 American rhythm and blues hit by Robert & Johnny. It was written by Johnny Mitchell, Robert Carr, and Sam Weiss. It reached #12 on the R&B charts and #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.-Cover versions:...
" (the Robert and Johnny hit), which was not a hit but is valued today. Their highly collectable and rare album from this period was The Belmonts' Carnival of Hits, which consisted of their Sabina recordings. These songs have been reissued often in combination with the "Dion and the Belmonts" songs.
Mastrangelo himself would attempt a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career in 1962, his most notable recording, though unsuccessful, being "Stranger in My Arms", written by Ernie Maresca
Ernie Maresca
Ernest "Ernie" Maresca is an American singer-songwriter and record company executive, best known for writing or co-writing some of Dion's biggest hits....
. In 1963 he recorded an up-tempo rock'n'roll version of "Mairzy Doats
Mairzy Doats
Mairzy Doats is a novelty song composed in 1943 by Milton Drake, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston. It was first played on radio station WOR, New York, by Al Trace and his Silly Symphonists. The song made the pop charts several times, with a version by the Merry Macs reaching No. 1 in March 1944...
" which was very different from the original. He was replaced by Frank Lyndon. Between 1964 and 1966 Mastrangelo also acted as Dion's occasional songwriting partner and drummer, playing on TV appearances and on the "Dion and the Wanderers" sessions in 1965. In 1966, Mastrangelo, Milano, and D'Aleo reunited with DiMucci and released the album Together Again on ABC Records
ABC Records
ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H....
. Mastrangelo once again played drums as well as vocals and DiMucci contributed guitar, to reduce the need for additional session musicians. Shortly thereafter, DiMucci again left the Belmonts, with Lyndon returning. Lyndon was later replaced by Warren Gradus. Later still, they were a quartet with Milano, D'Aleo, Gradus, and Daniel Elliott (née Rubado, ex-The Monterays
The Monterays
The Monterays, featuring the distinctive vocals of Dan Elliott, are the longest working band in Upstate New York. Formed in 1962, The Monterays were well established on the Syracuse scene in the 1960s, and after a decade layoff in the 1970s, continue to play over 100 dates a year.The band was...
, Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
Orchestra) who joined in 1974.
In 1968, D'Aleo and Milano provided lyrics for a vocal version of the instrumental theme tune to the Mission:Impossible TV series, this was recorded by the Kane Triplets.
1972 to 1990
The group reunited in 1972, with Mastrangelo, D'Aleo, Milano, and DiMucci, for a live performance at a Rock and Roll Revival Show in New York, which was later released as a live album. However this was a one-off reunion for the concert and no new studio recordings were made with Dion as he was signed to an ongoing solo album deal. In 1972 the Belmonts (Milano, Gradus, D'Aleo, and friends) recorded an acappella album called "Cigars, Acappella, Candy", notable for the inclusion of a medley of 13 doo-wop tracks called "Street corner symphony". The Belmonts (Milano, D'Aleo, Gradus, and Elliott) released one single on Laurie Records in 1975 and an album called "Cheek to Cheek" for Strawberry Records a year later. In 1981, The Belmonts recorded a single with Freddy CannonFreddy Cannon
Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. , known as Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", and "Palisades Park".-Biography:...
, entitled "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock and Roll", for MiaSound Records. The record charted for four weeks, peaking at #81 on Billboard.
The band (again with Freddy Cannon
Freddy Cannon
Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. , known as Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", and "Palisades Park".-Biography:...
) appeared on Solid Gold
Solid Gold (TV series)
Solid Gold is an American syndicated music television series that debuted on September 13, 1980. Like many other shows of its genre, such as American Bandstand, Solid Gold featured musical performances and various other elements such as music videos...
and other shows to promote the single and had a musical role in H. B. Halicki
H. B. Halicki
H.B. Halicki was an American stunt driver, actor, and filmmaker. He was also known as Toby to his friends and family, and to his fans as 'The Car Crash King'.-Biography:...
's 1982 movie The Junkman
The Junkman
The Junkman is a 1982 independent film which spent two years in production. To make the film, H. B. Halicki used his own personal collection of over 200 cars, toys, and guns - including Eleanor, the star of his 1974 cult classic Gone in 60 Seconds....
. Also in 1981, The Belmonts and Freddy Cannon joined forces in New York with Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
on guitar and together recorded the track "Shake It Sally", released in 1982 on the "Rock 'n Roll Traveling Show" album (Downtown D-20001).
Mastrangelo also left the Belmonts following the live 1972 reunion and around this time released an album, not commercially successful, as leader of a progressive rock band called "Pulse".
DiMucci also recorded with a group of Belmonts in the mid 1980s - the group was Mastrangelo, Louis Colletti, and Tommy Moran
Tommy Moran
Thomas P. "Tommy" Moran was a leading member of the British Union of Fascists and a close associate of Oswald Mosley. Initially a miner, Moran later became a qualified engineer and also served in the Royal Navy, where he became a champion boxer in the Light heavyweight division.-Entry into...
(Colletti and Moran were backing vocalists on DiMucci's 1992 album entitled Dream On Fire). Meanwhile, D'Aleo left the original group, leaving the trio of Milano, Gradus, and Elliott. Art Loria also came in for singing duties in the mid- to late 1980s. Loria was later active in The Jive Five
The Jive Five
The Jive Five is an American doo wop group.The group formed in Brooklyn, New York in the late 1950s with Eugene Pitt, Jerome Hanna, Richard Harris, Thurmon Prophet, and Norman Johnson. The group found success in 1961 with "My True Story" on Beltone Records, which reached #3 on the U.S...
; he died on October 23, 2010, In 1988 the Belmonts released a Christmas album called "The Belmonts Acappella Christmas" with songs written by George David Weiss
George David Weiss
George David Weiss was an American songwriter and former President of the Songwriters Guild of America.-Career:...
.
Dan Elliot and Warren Gradus also moonlighted on Laurie Records in the late 1970s under the alias, Foreign Intrigue
Foreign Intrigue
Foreign Intrigue is a 1951 television series produced in Europe by Sheldon Reynolds The 30-minute series ran for 156 episodes over four seasons...
, releasing three singles.
1994 onwards
In 1994, a lawsuitLawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
was filed by Fred Milano and Warren Gradus claiming trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
infringement against DiMucci, Mastrangelo, and D'Aleo. It was alleged that, while DiMucci had agreed to reunite with Milano, he had simultaneously agreed to take part in a reunion with Mastrangelo and D'Aleo. Milano won the suit.
The Belmonts, featuring Dan Elliot, Fred Milano, Warren Gradus,still perform 50 to 100 shows each year. As of 2008, the line-up consisted of Dan Elliot, Fred Milano, Warren Gradus and Angelo D'Aleo. Thus two of the four current Belmonts are original members.
In December 2009, The Belmonts released the Christmas single "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle". In 2009 The Belmonts also released the CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, The Belmonts Anthology Vol.1 Featuring A Hundred Pounds of Clay. "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" was released as a CD single in 2010.
Albums, by year of release
1958: Presenting Dion and the Belmonts (with Dion DiMucci)1960: Wish Upon a Star (with Dion DiMucci)
1962: Carnival of Hits
1966: Together Again (with Dion DiMucci)
1969: Summer Love
1971: Cigars, Acapella, Candy
1972: Reunion (live, with Dion DiMucci)
1975: Cheek to Cheek
1982: Rock 'n' Roll Travelling Show
1988: The Season of Harmony (Acapella Christmas)
2009: Anthology, vol I