I was always a big fan of Dion and the Belmonts

On the photo, it’s me and Dion DiMucci on stage singing Teenager in Love. It was my 18th Birthday. I was always a big fan of Dion and the Belmonts. They were from the Bronx and I was from the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. Growing up, as a young music enthusiast, I used to play guitar and sing songs by Dion and the Belmonts; Teenager in Love, Where of When, Run around Sue and many others. In New York at that time, the legal drinking age was 18. It just so happened that on my 18th Birthday, Dion without the Belmont’s, was going to be at The Copa, a Nightclub on Flatbush Avenue. My Uncle was friends with the owner of the establishment so I had an easy in and a great birthday gift from my Uncle. My date and I were given a table right next to the stage on the left side. It sure pays to know someone. We ordered a drink, the show started and Dion started singing and he was as good as he ever was. Half way through the show, Dion pulled me up on stage (I almost lost control if you know what I mean) and we sang Teenager in Love together. The girl I was with, unbeknownst to me, had a camera and took a picture of me on stage with Dion. A few days later she gave me a copy of the photo. Since then, every time Dion was performing in clubs in Brooklyn, (Sheepshead Bay, Marine Park and more) I made it a point to see the show. This was a very important moment in my life. Since that day I began to take music and songwriting very seriously. Thanks Dion.