Just call him the wanderer. Dion didn't only reach the top with his group the Belmonts, but also had a respectable solo career that incorporated many different musical elements into the doo-wop style that made him famous.

A New York City native, Dion (his first name; last name was DiMucci) worked through a slew of talent contests to record his first single "The Chosen One." While Dion may have been the chosen one, he realized that every hero needed a posse so he recruited three of his friends to sing back-up as the Belmonts.

The classic doo-wop hit "I Wonder Why" was the first to place in the charts--at #22--which prompted the group to tour the country and release other hit tunes like "A Teenager in Love" and "Where or When." Both songs placed in the Top 10 and Dion and the Belmonts became every teeny bopper's crooning idols.

In 1960 the group went their separate ways and though the Belmonts had a few successes without Dion at the helm, it was their former front man that had the charmed career. In the span of three short years, Dion's songs made it to the Top 10 seven times and include the oft-heard classics, "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer."

Dion's style had evolved from its doo-wop origins to incorporate blues and folk influences that proved very successful experiments. He had several hits in the mid-60s with "Hoochie Coochie Man," "Spoonful" and the politically-minded "Abraham, Martin and John."

During the 70s, Dion's songwriting efforts blended gospel into his critically acclaimed style and he continued to perform, both as a solo artist and as part of oldies-themed tours. The following years saw many collaborations between Dion and contemporary artists like k.d. lang and Lou Reed, as the Bronx singer's style continued to evolve and change.