The Belmonts

The Belmonts are a doo wop group that originated in the mid 1950s. The group consisted of Fred Milano, Angelo D'Aleo, and Carlo Mastrangelo. 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 & The Belmonts. 1955 to 1960: The Belmonts first recorded in 1957 with Teenage Clementine and Santa Margherita for Mohawk Records. Also recording on Mohawk was Dion DiMucci, 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 a tour that lost three members to a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa — Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson (aka The Big Bopper). DiMucci was actually offered a seat on the plane, but thought the fee of $36 was too much for such a short plane ride. 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. 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.[2] They carried on as "The Belmonts," with Mastrangelo singing the lead vocal 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[citation needed]. 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 and was replaced by Frank Lyndon. In 1966, Mastrangelo, Milano, and D'Aleo reunited with DiMucci and released the album Together Again on ABC Records. 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 (nee Rubado, ex-The Monterays, Glenn Miller Orchestra) who joined in 1974. 1972 to 1990: The group reunited in 1972, with Mastrangelo, D'Aleo, Milano, and DiMucci, and carried on recording, with DiMucci eventually returning to his solo career. 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 Cannon, 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". 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. Dan Elliot and Warren Gradus also moonlighted on Laurie Records in the late 1970s under the alias, Foreign Intrigue, releasing three singles. 1994 onwards: In 1994, a lawsuit 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, and Frank DeLigio still perform 50 to 100 shows each year.