Fresh Air

Roots of Rock and R&B: Dion and Allen Toussaint

Sep 1, 2025
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INSIGHT

Bronx Doo‑Wop Fuses Blues And Country

  • Dion blends blues and country into Bronx doo-wop, creating a distinct, authentic sound.
  • He adapted horn-driven R&B from the Apollo into street-corner vocal arrangements.
ANECDOTE

Neighborhood Characters Became Songs

  • Dion characterizes many songs as diary entries drawn from neighborhood characters and scenes.
  • He wrote "The Wanderer" inspired by a tattooed sailor named Jackie Burns he saw growing up in the Bronx.
ANECDOTE

Teen Dion Sang Hank Williams In Bars

  • As a teen Dion sang dozens of Hank Williams songs and even the Luke the Drifter series in local bars.
  • He loved Jambalaya despite not knowing what gumbo meant, showing music's power beyond literal understanding.
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