Editing The Belmonts (section)

===Origins & work with DiMucci (1955-1960)===
The Belmonts' first single, "Teenage Clementine"/"Santa Margherita", was recorded in 1957 for arranger Irving Spice's New York based Mohawk Records. Unlike subsequent recordings, Milano did the lead vocal on the "A" side, "Teenage Clementine", and D'Aleo sang lead on "Santa Margherita". Also recording on the label was [[Dion DiMucci]], whose first release was backed by a group he never met, the Timberlanes. DiMucci added the lead vocal to existing pre-recorded tracks, and the final composition was released as "The Chosen Few"/"Out In Colorado", by "Dion and the Timberlanes" (Mohawk 105). After receiving some airplay on the East Coast, the single was later leased to the larger Jubilee Records label for better distribution, although it failed to chart nationally.<ref name="joetroiano.wordpress.com">{{cite web |url=http://joetroiano.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/dion-the-timberlanes-the-chosen-few-out-in-colorado/ |title=Dion & The Timberlanes–"The Chosen Few"/"Out In Colorado" &#124; Joe T'S Soda Shop (Joe Troiano'S Blog) |publisher=Joetroiano.wordpress.com |date=2011-10-31 |access-date=2015-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016223115/https://joetroiano.wordpress.com/2011/10/31/dion-the-timberlanes-the-chosen-few-out-in-colorado/ |archive-date=2015-10-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  DiMucci states that he never knew then, or now, who the Timberlanes were: "The vocal group was so white bread, I went back to my neighborhood and I recruited a bunch of guys, three guys, and we called ourselves Dion and the Belmonts."<ref name="furious.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.furious.com/perfect/dion.html |title=Perfect Sound Forever: Dion speaks of the blues |publisher=Furious.com |date=1959-02-03 |access-date=2015-07-12}}</ref>

Initially billed as "Dion ''with'' the Belmonts", the new group recorded "We Went Away"/"Tag Along" on the Mohawk label before leaving for newly formed [[Laurie Records]]. Known thereafter as "Dion ''and'' the Belmonts", their first Laurie release, "[[I Wonder Why]]" (Laurie Records first release, Laurie 3013), was recorded at New York's [[Bell Sound Studios]] and brought them immediate success. Released the first week of May 1958, it appeared on the national charts two weeks later, rising to number 22 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It led to their first appearance on the nationally televised ''[[American Bandstand]]'' show, hosted by [[Dick Clark]]. The group followed with the ballads "[[No One Knows (Dion and The Belmonts song)|No One Knows]]" (Laurie 3015, number 19) and "Don't Pity Me" (Laurie 3021, number 40), which were also performed on ''Bandstand''. In 1959 Dion and the Belmonts were part of the historic and tragic [[Winter Dance Party]] tour that lost three performers in a [[The Day the Music Died|plane crash]] near Clear Lake, Iowa--[[Buddy Holly]], [[Ritchie Valens]] and J.P. "[[The Big Bopper]]" Richardson. DiMucci was offered a seat on the plane by Holly, but thought the fee of $36 was too much for such a short plane ride and declined.<ref>{{cite book|author=DiMucci, Dion|title=The Wanderer: Dion's Story|page=89|publisher=Beech Tree Books|date=1988|isbn=978-0688078416}}</ref> Photographs taken at the concert the night before the accident show Holly filling in on drums for The Belmonts, whose drummer had frostbite. Being a skilled drummer already, Carlo Mastrangelo filled in on drums for several of the other acts, evidenced by photographs also. After the plane crash [[Bobby Vee]], then an unknown, was asked to perform in Holly's place. Later [[Frankie Avalon]], [[Fabian Forte|Fabian]] and [[Jimmy Clanton]] were hired to finish the tour in place of the three deceased headliners.

Shortly after the tragedy, the [[quartet]] [[Chart-topper|hit]] again with "A Teenager in Love" (Laurie 3027). It became their first release to break the Top Ten, reaching number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. D'Aleo went to great efforts to contribute his famous falsetto to the song. "I was in the navy", the singer recalls. "I got a call from Fred. 'We've gotta finish up the album. You've gotta get over here'. So I got a flight and went in. One of the last songs we did was "A Teenager in Love". I listened and said, 'What? I hope this song doesn't go out as a single. It's a terrible song'. I hated the song. Later on, I'm heading to South America with the fleet and my friend in the radio shack said, 'Hey, get down here and listen to this!' It was "A Teenager in Love". In seven days, it became a hit!".<ref name="nj.com">{{cite web|first=Mark|last=Voger |url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2012/08/dion_and_the_belmonts_1.html |title=The Belmonts: Angelo D'Aleo remembers |date=31 August 2012 |publisher=NJ.com |access-date=2015-07-12}}</ref> Their appearance on "American Bandstand" was without D'Aleo, however, who returned to duty with the navy. At various times the group performed without him. During one national TV appearance on Clark's Saturday night program ("Live from the little theater on 44th Street in Manhattan"), he was filmed in his navy uniform, arriving just in time for the filming session. There were several picture sleeves from this era that did not picture D'Aleo, although he performed on all recordings.

After their top-ten success with "A Teenager in Love", Dion and the Belmonts recorded four more singles. By the time of their breakup, all eight Laurie releases charted ''Billboard''. Every "A" side made the top 40, except "Every Little Thing I Do" (Laurie 3035), which made the top 50. Their biggest hit and largest-selling record, "[[Where or When]] (Laurie 3044)", climbed to number 3 on the [[Billboard charts]] in early 1960. The "B" side, "[[That's My Desire]]", highlighted D'Aleo's soaring falsetto. It also received considerable airplay, especially in the New York City area. This time their appearance on ''American Bandstand'' once again featured all four members.

:''See also [[Dion and the Belmonts]]''