![Bild](https://www.stonepony.eu/brucepress/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/dionstompingground.jpg)
Dion Francis DiMucci Alias “Dion” erblickte am 18. Juli 1939 in der New Yorker Bronx das Licht der Welt. Mit 12 Jahren schenkte ihm sein Onkel eine gebrauchte Gitarre und Dion machte es sich fortan zur Aufgabe, das Musikinstrument zu erlernen und sich für Blues- und Country Music zu interessieren. Schon bald wurde er auf die Musik von Hank Williams aufmerksam und komponierte erste Songs.
Anno 1957 nahm er für “Mohawk Records” einen ersten Longplayer auf und rief seine Begleitband “The Belmonts” ins Leben. Im April 1958 gelang “Dion And The Belmonts” mit “I Wonder Why” ein grosser Hit. Der Song erreichte Platz 5 der Billboard Charts und machten Dion zu einem erfolgreichen Vertreter des Woo-Wop.
Bis heute releaste Dion zahlreiche Studioalben und feierte mit diversen Kompositionen Top-Ten Platzierungen. Darunter finden sich Evergreens wie “Sunaround Sue”, “The Wanderer”, “Where Or When”, “Ruby Baby”, “Donna The Prima Donna”, “Drip Drop” oder “Abraham, Martin and John”.
Im Sommer 2020 kam Dions letzter Longplayer in den Handel. “Blues With Friends” ist ein Kompilationsalbum mit zahlreichen Gästen wie Joe Bonamassa, Brian Setzer, Jeff Beck, John Hammond, Van Morrison, Jimmy Vivino, Billy Gibbons, Sonny Landreth, Paul Simon, Samantha Fish, Steven Van Zandt, Patti Scialfa und Bruce Springsteen. Der “Boss” steuerte mit Ehefrau Patti Scialfa zu “Blues With Friends” den Song “Hymn To Him” bei. Das Werk erreichte Platz 1 der “Billboard Blues Alben”.
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Ende dieses Jahres – voraussichtlich am 5. November 2021 – wird der mittlerweile 82jährige Musiker sein neues Album
“Stomping Ground” veröffentlichen. Dabei wurde Dion erneut von bekannten Grössen wie Joe Bonamassa, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Sonny Landreth, Billy F Gibbons, Keb’ Mo’ sowie Bruce Springsteen und Patti Scialfa unterstützt.
Tracklist: “Take It Back” mit Joe Bonamassa
“Hey Diddle Diddle” mit G.E. Smith
“Dancing Girl” mit Mark Knopfler
“If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll” mit Eric Clapton
“There Was A Time” mit Peter Frampton
“Cryin’ Shame” mit Sonny Landreth
“The Night Is Young” mit Joe Menza und Wayne Hood
“That’s What The Doctor Said” mit Steve Conn
“My Stomping Ground” mit Billy F Gibbons
“Angel In the Alleyways” mit Patti Scialfa und Bruce Springsteen
“I’ve Got To Get To You” mit Boz Scaggs, Joe Menza and Mike Menza
“Red House” mit Keb’ Mo’
“I Got My Eyes On You Baby” mit Marcia Ball und Jimmy Vivino
“I’ve Been Watching” mit Rickie Lee Jones und Wayne Hood
Die offizielle Pressemeldung: Zitat:
Dion is following up his critically acclaimed and commercially successful 2020 album release Blues With Friends with Stomping Ground, a new album that finds him collaborating yet again with music greats with whom he shares mutual admiration. Set for release November 5, Stomping Ground was produced by Wayne Hood with Dion and will be released through Joe Bonamassa and Roy Weisman’s KTBA Records. The album will be available digitally as well as on CD and as a two LP set.
Most of the album’s songs were written by Dion and his songwriting partner Mike Aquilina. Guest artists appearing on tracks with Dion include Boz Scaggs, Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Patti Scialfa, Bruce Springsteen, Billy F Gibbons, Keb’ Mo’, Sonny Landreth, Joe Menza, Mike Menza, Marcia Ball, Jimmy Vivino, Rickie Lee Jones, Wayne Hood, Joe Bonamassa and G.E. Smith with Pete Townshend’s liner notes which Dion characterizes as “amazing.”
The album’s voluminous notes include an intro by Dion that succinctly summarizes the philosophy behind the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s latest recorded endeavor:
“When I was young, I was always striving for accolades and admiration. Those were my goals. But when I reached them, they didn’t satisfy. I discovered joy when I leaned to stop caring about all that – when I learned to relax and make music with friends… music that would make more friends for us through its joy. To make music with friends, and to make friends through music: I can’t imagine a better life than this. I am grateful to my friends who made Stomping Ground with me – and my new friends who are listening.”
The album was preceded last month with the release of “I’ve Got To Get To You,” a track featuring Boz Scaggs along with the father and son guitar team of Joe and Mike Menza. This week marks the release of “Take It Back,” on which Dion is joined by Joe Bonamassa. Next month (10/13) will see the release of “Angel In The Alleyway” that features Patti Scialfa (vocals) and Bruce Springsteen (guitar and harmonica).
The album’s notes include a foreword by Pete Townshend, which reads, in part:
“Dion, like a circling star that never fades, generates the energy and fire we need to pull ourselves up and start again. Dion is a star who knows well how to start again, how to keep shining. He looks at his watch every few years. Damn! Let’s make a record. Take care. This one will blow those little white things in our ears right into your brain.”
Beyond Townshend’s literary contribution, Dion provides a track-by-track description of all the album’s 14 selections, the sole non-original being “Red House,” the Jimi Hendrix song that has become a blues standard. On Stomping Ground, Dion is joined by Keb’ Mo’ on that song. Dion notes, “We had a blast grooving on ‘Red House.’ I’m honored to have him join me on this Jimi Hendrix cover/tribute. We did it as only we could. I think Jimi would approve!” It’s worth mentioning that the follow-up single release to Dion’s 1968 smash hit “Abraham, Martin and John” was “Purple Haze,” serving to underscore the connection that Dion has long had with the legacy of Jimi Hendrix.