I left Columbia in the mid-'60s. I had a guaranteed contract for, like, $100,000 a year. And I just let it go. And I wasn't a rich man. There were a lot of bad vibes around the whole thing. Dion DiMucci More Quotes by Dion DiMucci More Quotes From Dion DiMucci Sometimes I think I know everything, but I also underestimate what God really is. Dion DiMucci underestimate sometimes thinking What are you gonna fill your life up with when you don't have that ultimate satisfaction or peace in your life? You try to fill it up with wealth, pleasure, honor, power, sex, drugs and Rock and Roll to try to feel good. Dion DiMucci rock-and-roll rocks sex I have a full life off the road. I was never in it just for the money or the career. That's why I'm comfortable with myself. I know who I am out of the spotlight. Dion DiMucci spotlight who-i-am careers If you're performing for the right reasons, it's glorious. Dion DiMucci glorious performing reason Back when I was in high school, I came out onstage with my guitar and had four guys playing behind me. We were just playing a dance, but I was standing in front of an audience rocking out. I'm still rocking out like when I was a kid. I haven't changed. Dion DiMucci guitar kids school A lot of blues music seems like it's moving away from God, or the center, and Gospel music is moving towards it. It's embracing a higher reality. When you look a little closer, the way that I define it or explain it, is that the blues is the naked cry of the human heart, apart from God. People are searching for union with God. They're searching to be home. There's something in people that seeks this union with their creator. Why am I here? Where am I going? What's it all about? Who am I? All this kind of stuff. Dion DiMucci home heart moving I think one of the greatest compliments I've ever received was when a young kid came backstage at Joe's Pub, when I had the "Bronx In Blue" album out. He said, "What Jimmy Reed did for you, you do for me." Dion DiMucci blue kids thinking I was guaranteed a hundred thousand dollars a year for five years, which was big money in the early 60's. You think, acquiring that should cool you out, but for me it wasn't true. Dion DiMucci dollars years thinking When you have too many beers, you become like a control freak on everything. Dion DiMucci control-freak freak beer A lot of people have many misconceptions about religion. I know what I'm talking about for myself. My mind is very ordered, so to speak. I need to put things in order. Dion DiMucci talking order people Life is full of awe and grace and truth, mystery and wonder. I live in that atmosphere. Dion DiMucci mystery grace truth life It was a lot of fun in the back of that bus with Ritchie Valens, Buddy and The Big Bopper sharing each other's songs. Dion DiMucci sharing back bus fun I tell you, gospel music is very uplifting. It's great. It's just a lot of fun to write, and it's wonderful for the heart, soul, mind, and spirit. It's just great. Dion DiMucci you music soul heart My definition of the blues is the naked cry of the human heart longing to be in union with God. Dion DiMucci cry naked god heart In New York, if you go into an Italian-American neighbourhood, the code of the streets is respect and reputation. Dion DiMucci new you reputation respect I never got into this business to do interviews. It was always about the music. Dion DiMucci never always music business With Del Shannon - and I've got to tell you this - there's nobody probably on the face of the earth that I identified more with musically. We used to sit and sing George Jones and Hank Williams tunes. Dion DiMucci face nobody you earth I know they call it the British Invasion, but musically, I call it the British Infusion. Dion DiMucci musically call know british I was playing with Chuck Berry, who sounded like an English teacher. Did you ever listen to his records? He pronounces every word. Dion DiMucci listen english you teacher I couldn't sing like Mick Jagger, not that I wanted to. Dion DiMucci mick-jagger sing like wanted
