Dion Archives • Americana Highways

Music Reviews: Bob Dylan’s ‘Through the Open Window: Bootleg Series, Vol. 18,’ plus Dion, ‘The Rock ’n’ Roll Philosopher’

December 14, 2025December 16, 2025Jeff Burger0

Though Bob Dylan’s Bootleg Series began in 1991 and has embraced well over 50 discs, it is only now, with its 18th volume, that it is getting around to the first chapter of its subject’s story. And what a chapter it is. Granted, the period covered by Through the Open Window: The Bootleg Series, Vol. […]

Bentley’s Bandstand: February 2025

February 28, 2025March 1, 2025Bill Bentley0

Bentley’s Bandstand: February 2025 By Bill Bentley Shane Alexander, FOREVER SONGS. There are singer-songwriters throughout America who sound like they are on the edge of greatness, and keep getting closer to breakthroughs. Alexander is surely one of those, and has been that now for several albums. On Alexander’s eighth release, it’s crystal clear this is […]

Music Reviews: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts, plus Bluegrass from Merle Travis, Mac Wiseman & Joe Maphis

February 23, 2025February 25, 2025Jeff Burger0

Music Reviews: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts, plus Bluegrass from Merle Travis, Mac Wiseman & Joe Maphis If you weren’t lucky enough to be in the audience for the 25th-anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concerts on Oct. 29 and 30, 2009, you could still witness them via the Blu-ray of the […]

Music & Film Reviews: Dion “Girl Friends” and the Rolling Stones “Live at the Wiltern,” plus John Smith and Doris Troy

March 17, 2024March 27, 2024Jeff Burger0

Music & Film Reviews: Dion Girl Friends and the Rolling Stones Live at the Wiltern’ plus John Smith and Doris Troy Dion DiMucci, one of rock’s most deservedly celebrated singers, regularly occupied high positions on the pop charts from 1957 to 1963, first with his group the Belmonts, and then on his own. He hasn’t […]

Music Reviews: ‘The JFK Inauguration Hot 100: 20th January 1961,’ plus Mike Zito, Vanessa Peters, and Lance Cowan

February 25, 2024February 28, 2024Jeff Burger0

Music Reviews: ‘The JFK Inauguration: Hot 100 5th August 1957,’ plus Mike Zito, Vanessa Peters, and Lance Cowan According to conventional wisdom, rock experienced a fallow period from around the time we lost Buddy Holly in January 1959—“the day the music died,” according to Don McLean’s “American Pie”—until Bob Dylan and the Beatles caught on […]

Music & Film Reviews: Early Rockers Darlene Love, Dion, Clyde McPhatter, & Charlie Feathers

April 16, 2023April 18, 2023Jeff Burger0

Early Rockers Darlene Love, Dion, Clyde McPhatter, & Charlie Feathers This month has witnessed the rerelease of music from four important voices from rock’s early days. Let’s start with Darlene Love, whose Live 1982—a vinyl album from 1985—just debuted on CD and standard-definition DVD. Love, one of Phil Spector’s greatest vocalists, was a one-woman hit […]