Dion Guitar Lessons – Classic Rock & Roll Songs
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Explore acoustic guitar lessons featuring the classic rock-and-roll hits of Dion and the Belmonts, along with Dion's successful solo recordings.

A Teenager In Love was recorded by Dion and the Belmonts and released in March 1959. Written by legendary songwriting partners Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman, the song reached #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #28 in the UK.

Its lyrics capture the emotional ups and downs of teenage romance, combining the fear of heartbreak with the excitement of young love. The Belmonts' distinctive doo-wop harmonies helped make the recording one of the group's signature hits.

Interestingly, the song was originally intended for The Mystics, but Laurie Records gave it to Dion and the Belmonts instead. British singers Marty Wilde and Craig Douglas also enjoyed chart success with their own versions in 1959.

Blues Coming On appears on Dion’s 2020 album Blues With Friends, a collaborative project featuring legendary guitarists.

Although not released as a traditional charting single, it gained attention thanks to Joe Bonamassa’s fiery guitar work and heavy rotation on blues radio. The track blends Dion’s classic vocal phrasing with a modern blues-rock edge, proving his longevity decades after his 1960s hits.

While no official music video was produced, a popular studio-session video circulated online to promote the album. The album itself earned strong critical praise and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. Dion recorded the vocals in his home studio at age 80, calling the track “one of the most natural sessions of my life.

In The Still Of The Night was released as a single by Dion And The Belmonts back in 1960 and reached #38 in the US. This is a remake of an old Cole Porter song originally released in 1937. There is another song with the same name but a totally different song.

This version features Dion's distinctive vocals and the group's signature harmonies, and it has become a classic example of doo-wop music. The song's nostalgic lyrics and slow tempo are perfectly suited to the group's style, and their recording remains a beloved example of the doo-wop genre.

The song can be found on the album "Wish Upon A Star with Dion And The Belmonts. 

Ruby Baby is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by The Drifters in 1956. However, it was Dion who had a major hit with the song in 1963 when he recorded his own version, titled "Ruby Baby".

"Ruby Baby" became a top 5 hit for Dion, reaching #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and helped solidify his status as one of the top artists of the early 1960s.

Del Shannon, Bobby Darin and The Beach Boys are just a few artists who have covered this one.

Runaround Sue is one of Dion DiMucci's most famous and lasting hits. It was released in 1961 and became a #1 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as a top 20 hit in several other countries. Dion co-wrote this one and was a hit after he went solo from The Belmonts.

The song's catchy melody and upbeat tempo, coupled with Dion's distinctive voice and style, made it an instant classic. The lyrics tell the story of a woman named Sue who is known for being unfaithful and playing with men's hearts, earning her the nickname "runaround Sue".

The song can be found on the album of the same name.

The Wanderer was also a song released from the "Runaround Sue" album and written by long time friend Ernie Maresca. Dion used the same backup singers known as the Del-Satins for this track as he did with Runaround Sue. 

"The Wanderer" is another classic hit by Dion DiMucci. It was released in 1961 and became a top 5 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as a hit in several other countries.

"The Wanderer" has been covered by numerous artists over the years and has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows, cementing its place in pop culture history.

Kirby Swinemar is an acoustic guitar instructor, performer and song arranger who has taught online for 21 years and created more than 4,000 original acoustic guitar lessons. He specialises in song-based acoustic guitar instruction, rhythm guitar techniques, and creating full-sounding solo arrangements that help beginner and intermediate players move beyond basic strumming.

Explore his work at Kirby's Guitar Lessons and on social media on his social media YouTube Channel and his Facebook Page. Learn more about Kirby on his About Me page.