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(I've used a text copier to transfer these articles- unfortunately some words get mangled which I then try to untangle - If I've missed any apologies in advance!)..

IT's a couple of weeks since I returned to the States, following my brief visit to Britain, but every detail of the -trip is still vividly fixed in my memory. My very short stay in your country. has left with me an outstanding impression - which I~ shall always treasure as one, of the most exciting and pleasurable experiences of my career.,

Why should this be so? There's the obvious commercial l explanation 'first of all, that my visit helped to boost my recording of " Runaround : Sue " into , your'. hit parade. , I don't kid myself that my personal appearances on British television have been entirely responsible for the 'disc entering the charts. But I 'like to think that they helped and after all. that's basically why I :decided to visit your. country in the first Place.

Perhaps I should be rather be more .accurate by telling, you that the :decision was made for me -by my :very astute manager, Sal Bonafede. I must admit that I wondered myself whether he was doing the, right thing at the time.

I'd just climbed to the top of the American best-sellers with what was my first really big hit in tile States and the 'logical development seemed to me that I should take :advantage of the situation. there and :try to consolidate my position.

Remember, too, that I was virtually unknown over in Britain. Sure, .I'd glad a couple of small hits with : the British fans when I was, with the Belmonts. But . the folks there had never had the chance of seeing me before and they certainly didn't know me even as well as the teenagers at "home. So it seemed something of a ,risk to. take a trip into the unknown. -

But my manager sure know what: he was doing! he realised that, if: a record gets going in a, big way in: !America, it could just as easily have: :the same effect across the Atlantic: provided that conditions are right.: .And he made up his mind to ensure that conditions were right.

So, realising the potential of the: British market, we gave up two- weeks' work in the States and flew over to Britain at. our own expense

BY this time, . I'd revised 'my thinking, too. I was just as anxious as Sal to establish some sort of relationship with the British fans. But naturally I didn't know what sort of reaction to expect when I ,arrived. I certainly didn't expect any sort of star treatment. ' In fact I thought that People would be rather indifferent to me, and because of this I was extremely nervous.

What actually happened surprised and delighted me. All the people with whom I came' in contact proved to be the kindest and most friendly I have ever had the good fortune to meet.

Everyone was so hospitable so good- natured and c harming. 'Th is sort of genuine warmth and sincerity had never happened to me. before and I was completely knocked out by it.

When I was in Scotland, for in-stance, appearing on I the " One O'clock Gang " TV show, the producer presented me with a ' gift of a doll Piper in national costume, attached to a music box which plays, Auld Lang Syne." . ' I just didn't' know what to say I I kept' wondering to myself- why should he do this for me ?

This sort of thing never happens in, the States, where a great deal of the sincerity of show business is Purely superficial. I'd like to tell you , too, how very much I admire your television both from technical and Production 'standpoints. As you know, I was lucky enough to appear in ABC-Tvs "Thank Your Lucky, Stars," and the Producer Philip. Jones-took a tremendous amount of trouble over my short 'sequence.

He had a special set designed and rehearsed me for three full hours-all for one short 2-5 -minute spot. Now no one has ever taken this trouble with me before, and you can bet that I was very impressed, You may have heard tell that some of our leading networked shows in the States are more Polished than yours. Well, maybe that's true-but based upon my experience. over . there I would put the general standard 'of British television above the American level.

These remarks of mine also apply to the Other stations I visited ill Glasgow and Cardiff, yet I understand that these program were of a Pu rely local nature. I con only add that the standard . was remarkably high.

It's a pity that my visit had to be so short. I loved everything about Britain Particularly London where I enjoyed the night 'life and visited several clubs and theatres.

You know, somehow it didn't seem as though I . was visiting another country it was, more like crossing the border Into another state .

I hope that I shall soon. have the opportunity of paying you a much longer visit. In this respect, the prospects look pretty bright, for already there' are negotiations in hand for me to do. a tour. over there around February or, March I sure . hope it works out . I'd like to thank everyone who took the trouble to write to me when I was in Britain, and since I've been back in America. I'll try to reply an- to you all in due course . Mean while a special word of thanks to Ann Thomas of Arbroath in Scotland, who wrote me the nicest fan letter I have ever received. Finally, thanks to you all for lifting my record so high in your NME Charts. I have been very thrilled to make Your acquaintance, and I'm looking forward to the next time.

I

Possible U.S. VISITORS Brenda LEE NEXT YEAR, DION SOON

If the projects materialise, Brenda will be here next spring and Dion later this month. A tour of Germany is set for Brenda Lee, covering mainly American bases and principal towns, at the beginning of April. She has agreed to spend four days in Britain if her schedule can be arranged.

Dion's visit, if it materialises, is imminent' - A week-long visit for TV and radio dates is scheduled to begin on October I6.

Main purpose will be to launch Dion's next single "Run Around. Sue," at present No. 2I in the U.S. charts.

The trip would be Dion's first to Britai n. His only chart success here was ' Teenager In Love ' recorded with the. Belmonts vocal team two years ago, but -he has a string of' U.S. hits.

Friday October I3, I96I

,

Dion HEADS FOR THE HIGHSPOTS

Since quitting the group last year, New . York -born Dion his surname is Dimucci , although he never uses it in his ~ billing has clicked in the U.S. with two big selling discs - "Lonely Teenager" and 'Havin' Fun -and is being hailed by critics there as one pop music's most promising newcomers.

Both the aforementioned discs have been issued here by Top Rank, and although they failed to make the hit parade grade, they aroused considerable interest among fans - which prompts us to suppose that it will only a matter of time before Dion hits the high spots in Britain,

A former student at the Thoodore Roosevelt High School in the Bronx district of New York, Dion began ,singing when he was five years old and picked up the guitar a few years later. At II, he made his professional debut on a Paul Whiteman air Show.

His school days behind him, Dion embarked on a solo career, but made precious little headway until he teamed with a group called the Timberlanes for a series of recordings for a now-defunct U.S ' label.

His singing with the group didn't pass unnoticed, but the team never achieved anything - more than moderate success.

A little later, executives of the Laurie label heard Dion, felt he had the makings of a potential star, and promptly installed him as the featured singer-leader with a young vocal group known as the Belmonts. It proved to be the turning point in Dion's career.

THEIR HITS

The quartet (comprising Fred Milano, Carlo Mastrangelo, Angelo D'Alto and Dion) were an immediate success with pop fans, and racked. up' an impressive string of disc hits-! among them " I Wonder Why," None Knows," "In The Still Tbe Night" " Swinging On A Star," " Where Or When " and " Teenager In Love," which was the group's: only chart success in Britain. .

Now, Dion a keen student of' show business tradition and an, expert skin diver-is a soloist once again. Already, his distinctive singing has taken him into the U.S. hit .Parade, and there can be little doubt that he has the talent to hit the top rung of the ladder-and stay there!

JANWS WYNN

DION REVEALS , HOW HE MISSED DEATH WITH BUDDY HOLLY

And the welcoming committee of disc-jockeys and producers who assembled to meet him at noon on Monday- had to wait until mid afternoon before he was finally whisked in from London Airport. -

Was his Journey really worth it? Most decidedly so, for this good looking young American of Italian descent is currently riding high in the American top table with his " Runaround Sue disc and he is clearly anxious to repeat his Stateside success in this country.

Bearing in mind that he is facing tough competition from Britain ' Doug Sheldon on this title, Dion has -flown in to exploit his record over here and try to gain his first British hit parade entry as a soloist. He's appearing on ABC-TYs networked " Thank Your Lucky Stars " show and on several regional ITV presentations, with at least one other -networked programme was 'being negotiated for him as I spoke to him on Monday.'

Dion' is perhaps better known in ,his country for his association with , a. . group known I as I. the - Belmonts. , With this' team he' enjoyed a chart success,- ',Teen3geT_,jn Love," and had near misses with " I. Worider Why," ',', Where Or' When and No One Knows."

I asked him why he -decided. to .break away from the Belmonts. ".It's simply that we each felt that we had-., a , different misson to accomplish in show business " he explained. ---We are still the best of .friends. The Belmonts are doing extremely well in-their own right and have even started their own record company.

Fate was kind to Dion 2 years ago ; at that time he was with the- Behmnts -in a nation-wide Buddy Holly,tour - also featuring Big boppere and Ritchic Valens, when Disaster struck when . the 3 stars Were killed in that tragic accident. which Dion was mercifully sphred., asked him why he wasn't on that ill-fated plane. The truth is that, as I was still a member , of the ~ group, . I simply couldn't afford the price of a charter plane," he told me. " And I was saving-to.buy a car. So I went with the boys by road

~ His very first -professional engagement was with Paul Whiteman at Philadelphia, and to get there he was Obliged to undertake a round trip of 200 miles. His fee? He simply had his fare repaid! And since his father accompanied him on the trip, they were well out of pocket on, the journey.

Having read that Dion's mother is trying to persuade him to give up smoking, because it is bad for his voice, I asked him whether she had been successful. "No, I'm afraid not," he chuckled. "I just don't seem to be able to break myself of the habit. I've tried smoking a pipe-and just hold- it between my teeth without lighting it-but so far it hasn't worked."

Although . comparatively , little known over. here, Dion is a great favourite 'with American teenagers. It is virtually impossible to pick up any fan magazine- without finding at least one article -devoted to the young New, Yorker, whose real name Dion, DiMucci.

His first solo release on Top Rank, Lonely Teenager," didn't happen in this country despite its- US hit parade entry. . But in my estimation, ~' Runaround Sue " is better material. and with his presence here to help its chances, it must be in the running for honours. Dion, who is a. great water sports enthusiast. admires Elvis, Sinatra and, Hank Williams.

Dion Billy Fury British. tour February

Its been said that there's a woman behind every successful man. And that's .how we learned about the Sue behind singing star Dion.

Sue was the girl Dion fell in. love with at the age of I6, and although they have now split up, it was the thought of her that inspired him to write his best selling hit single -"Runaround Sue."

The tour is being planned by impresario Larry Parnes, who is responsible for the current " Star Spangled Nights " package which headlines Fury, Eden Kane and Karl Denver. Kane has already been approached Although Billy has not yet signed for this a major British screen pro dudlion, his confirmation is likely within the next few weeks.

, From New York, Nat Hentoff reports, however, that agent Tito Burns, who arrived in the U.S. this ~ week, is discussing the possibility of,, to take part in the new show with Fury visiting the States in January

chart newcomer : Danny ~Williams . for . TV and personal appearances. Negotiations for Dion's booking may There is a possibility that Fury; be completed soon. will make a lightning trip to Paris' A fifty-venue itinerary is planned on Wednesday, December I3, for a probably starting in the third week radio broadcast which may also of February. Twenty theatres have toured the Shadows. already been provisionally booked on the Rank circuit, beginning at London's Gaumont State, Kilburn, on Monday, February I9.

When Fury's I96I tour commitments finish on Sunday, December 3, he plans a short holiday before starting work on a flint scheduled to begin in January.

. . Dion is now making his. first movie. It is called, ."Ten Girls Ago" and co-stars Bert Lahr and Buster Keaton. D's in, seventh heaven working on location in Canada he goes horse-riding in his lunch-hour every day). He penned two of the songs for the flick' and it opens with a blige close-up of him singing the title,

Dion, 'has recently ,worked with Bobby Vee. was saying haw much he enjoyed his trip to England, which has only made Bobby more keen to come over. it has always' been a wish of Bobby's even before becoming . a singer, to see England and its, exciting historical places.

. I