DION DI MUCI "DONNA THE PRIMA DONNA" RED VINYL PROMO

$

50

THIS 45 COMES FROM THE COLLECTION OF OHIO AREA DISC JOCKEY AND PROGRAM DIRECTOR CHICK WATKINS, MORE ON HIM BELOW.

THIS IS A VERY RARE, VERY COOL RED VINYL, WHITE LABLE PROMO ON COLUMBIA RECORDS RELEASED IN 1963 OF THE DION DI MUCI CLASSIC "DONNA THE PRIMA DONNA" THIS IS A DOUBLE "A" SIDED PROMO. CLEARLY MARKED UNDER THE LABLE NAME "NOT FOR SALE. RADIO STATION COPY". THIS IS COL. CAT.# 4-42852 (JZSP 75681).  RUN TIME 2:47. THERE IS WRITING ON ONE SIDE, THE YEAR OF RELEASE & CHART POSITION (1963  6) AND A RED DOT, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER 75 IN A SMALL BLUE BOX. PROBABLY DONE AT THE RADIO STATION, THE FLIP SIDE, IS SUPER CLEAN, THE LABLE IN NM SHAPE. I PLAYED GRADED BOTH SIDES AND THEY BOTH PLAY SUPER CLEAN, I WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE SOME OF CHICK'S OTHER 45'S HAVE SURFACE NOISE, THIS HARDLY HAS ANY ON EITHER SIDE. A REAL FIND. IT'S IN A PLAIN WHITE PAPER SLEEVE IN A PROTECTIVE PLASTIC OUTER SLEEVE. I HAVE A PRICE GUIDE FOR PROMO VINYL OVER 13 YEARS OLD, AND I KNOW PRICE GUIDES ARE MEARLY THAT, IF THAT, BUT SINCE I AM SELLING THIS FOR A FRIEND I AM SETTING WHAT I FEEL IS A MODEST RESERVE FOR THIS, BID CONFIDENTLY. HERE'S MORE ON THE ARTIST & THIS GREAT SONG.

Dion Francis DiMucci (born July 18, 1939), better known as Dion, is an American singer-songwriter whose work has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop, rock and R&B styles.

One of the most popular American rock 'n' roll performers of the pre-British Invasion era, Dion had over a dozen Top 40 hits in the late 1950s and early 60s. He is best remembered for the exuberant 1961 singles "Runaround Sue", a No. 1 hit about a two-timing woman, and "The Wanderer", a No. 2 hit about a philandering man that was, somewhat accidentally, an answer song to "Runaround Sue".

Due to changing public tastes and personal problems, Dion faltered in the mid-1960s; he regained popularity later in the decade and into the early 1970s with more mature, contemplative material such as "Abraham, Martin & John". He has continued making music to the present, earning reappraisals from critics who earlier dismissed him as a teen idol.

Solo stardom, 1960-1964

By the end of 1960, Dion had released his first solo album on Laurie, Alone with Dion, and the single "Lonely Teenager", which rose to No. 12 in the US charts. The name on his solo releases was simply "Dion". Follow-ups "Havin’ Fun" and "Kissin’ Game" had less success, and the signs were that Dion would drift onto the cabaret circuit. However, he then recorded, with new vocal group The Del-Satins, an up-tempo number co-written with Ernie Maresca. The record, "Runaround Sue", stormed up the U.S. charts, reaching No. 1 in September 1961, and No. 11 in the UK, where he also toured. "Runaround Sue" sold over a million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

For the next single, Laurie promoted the A-side, "The Majestic", but it was the B-side, Maresca’s "The Wanderer", which received more radio play and climbed swiftly up the charts to reach No.2 in the U.S. in December 1961 and No. 10 in the UK. (The 1976 re-release made the UK Top 20.)

By the end of 1961, Dion had become a major star, touring worldwide and making an appearance in the Columbia Pictures musical film Twist Around the Clock. He followed with a string of singles – "Lovers Who Wander" (No. 3), "Little Diane" (No. 8), "Love Came To Me" (No. 10) - in 1962, several of which he wrote or co-wrote. He also had successful albums with Runaround Sue and Lovers Who Wander.

At the end of 1962, Dion moved from Laurie to Columbia Records. The first Columbia single, Leiber and Stoller’s "Ruby Baby",(originally a hit for The Drifters), reached No. 2, while "Donna the Prima Donna" and "Drip Drop" (another cover of a Drifters hit), both reached No. 6 late 1963. (Dion also recorded an Italian version of "Donna the Prima Donna" using the identical backup vocals.) His other Columbia releases were less successful, and problems with his addiction and changing public tastes saw a period of commercial decline.

This 45’s come from the collection of disc jockey and current Program Director of the Dial Global Radio Network’s (formerly the Westwood One Radio Network) Chick Watkins, who was at WCUE in Akron, Oh. Most saw some airplay, thus the stickers and some writing on the labels. Here is a bit more about Chick and his long radio career. I am selling these on his behalf….

This 45 comes in a plain white sleeve..

Chick Watkins began his radio adventures in Akron, Ohio at WCUE Radio, where he spent 14 years as Program Director and Operations Manager of the combined AM and FM.

In 1970, he joined WGAR-AM in Cleveland as Air Talent/Production Manager and Program Director.

After 12 years with that legendary station, he joined Westwood One to help launch the network's first format as Program Director for Adult Contemporary.

After two years with KOY-AM and FM in Phoenix as Program Director and Operations Manager, he returned to Westwood One as Program Director and Midday Host of Adult Standards. (12P-4P ET)

In 1999, the station (WAKR)  reverted back into a standards format with most music programming being satellite-based from Westwood One, with its' morning news program as the lone holdover of the previous format. Coincidentally, one of the Westwood One Adult Standards personalities that was heard on the station, Chick Watkins, had local ties in that he was program director at WCUE and WCUE-FM from 1956 to 1970 (and also was program director for Cleveland's WGAR from 1970 to 1982).

I WILL COMBINE SHIPPING ON ALL OF MY ITEMS, .50 EXTRA PER U.S. DELIVERY, $1 PER ITEM FOR OVERSEAS/INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING. MAIL TO CANADA IS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN TO EUROPE OR OVERSEAS, SO IF YOU WIN LET ME INVOICE YOU. CHECK OUT MY OTHER AUCTIONS, I WILL BE PUTTING MORE 45'S UP, I ALSO WORKED AT A NATIONAL RADIO NETWORK FOR 19 YEARS AND AM SELLING OFF CD, PROMO'S AND OTHER ITEMS FROM THERE AS WELL. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS...