Ernest Peter Maresca (August 21, 1938 – July 8, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter and record company executive, best known for writing or co-writing some of Dion's biggest hits, including "

Runaround Sue "Runaround Sue" is a rock and roll song (in a modified doo-wop style), originally a US No. 1 Hot 100 hit (No. 4 on the Hot R&B chart) for the singer Dion during 1961, after he split with the Belmonts. It was written by Dion with Ernie Mares ...

" and " The Wanderer".

Biography

Maresca was born in

the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. He began singing and writing in a

doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...

group, the Monterays, later renamed as the Desires, and, after Maresca left, as the Regents, who had a hit with "

Barbara Ann "Barbara Ann" is a song written by Fred Fassert that was first recorded by the Regents as "Barbara-Ann". Their version was released in 1961 and reached number 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. The more famous version was recorded by the ...

". In 1957, his

demo Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to: Music and film *Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release * ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes * ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...

of his

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetitio ...

No One Knows "No One Knows" is a song by American rock band Queens of the Stone Age written by band members Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan. It was the first single and second track from their third album, ''Songs for the Deaf'', and was released on November 26 ...

" came to the attention of

Dion DiMucci Dion Francis DiMucci (born July 18, 1939), better known simply as Dion, is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. His music has incorporated elements of doo-wop, pop, rock, R&B, folk and blues. Initially as the lead singer of Dion and t ...

, who recorded it successfully with the Belmonts on

Laurie Records Laurie Records was a record label established in New York City in 1958 by brothers Robert and Gene Schwartz, and Allan I. Sussel. Among the recording artists on Laurie's roster were Dion and the Belmonts (both together and as separate acts), ...

, the record reaching No. 19 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 record chart in 1958. Maresca then began songwriting full-time, and recording his own demos. Mick Patrick, Interview with Ernie Maresca, ''Spectropop.com''
Retrieved 13 July 2015 He wrote "Runaround Sue" with Dion (the singer's only US number one hit), and then other big hits with and for him. These included "The Wanderer", originally a

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

which became a US million seller and a UK hit twice over, in 1962 and 1976 on reissue; the song was also a hit for

Leif Garrett Leif Garrett (born Leif Per Nervik; November 8, 1961) is an American singer, actor, and television personality. He worked as a child actor, then in the 1970s became famous as a teen idol in music. He later received much publicity for his drug ...

Status Quo is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, political, religious or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the current state of social structure and/or values. W ...

(in the UK), and

Eddie Rabbitt Edward Thomas Rabbitt (November 27, 1941 – May 7, 1998) was an American country music singer and songwriter. His career began as a songwriter in the late 1960s, springboarding to a recording career after composing hits such as "Kentucky Rain" ...

for whom it was a number one

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

hit in 1988. Songs written by Ernie Maresca, ''Musicvf.com''
Retrieved 13 July 2015 Maresca also co-wrote Dion's follow-up hits, "

Lovers Who Wander "Lovers Who Wander" is a popular song written by Dion DiMucci and Ernie Maresca Ernest Peter Maresca (August 21, 1938 – July 8, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter and record company executive, best known for writing or co-writing ...

"; and "

recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist (or group), where the artist makes a record (or series of records) for the label to sell and promote. Artists ...

with Seville, a small New York

label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed dir ...

. His protestations that he was not much of a singer were brushed aside, and he wrote a hit for himself, "

Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out) "Shout! Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)" is a song written by Ernie Maresca and Thomas F. Bogdany, and originally recorded by Maresca in 1962. The single was released on Edward Kassner's fledgling Seville Records label. It also appeared on Maresca's ...

", which reached number 6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in early 1962. The song was recorded in 1982 by

Rocky Sharpe and the Replays Rocky Sharpe and the Replays is an English doo-wop/rock and roll revival group who first found fame in the late 1970s. The usual line-up of the group was Rocky Sharpe (born Robert Podsiadły, 26 November 1952 – 5 December 2019), Helen Highwat ...

, whose version made number 19 on the

UK singles chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

. Maresca continued to record, with less success, for the remainder of the 1960s, both under his own name and using the pseudonym Artie Chicago (From The Bronx), including his own version of "The Wanderer" in 1968. He had greater success as a writer, with hits including "Runaround" by the Regents, "Whenever a Teenager Cries" by

Reparata and the Delrons Reparata and the Delrons were an American girl group. They are best known for their 1965 recordings "Whenever a Teenager Cries" and "Tommy", for the 1968 European hit " Captain of Your Ship" and for Reparata's 1975 solo hit "Shoes". History 1962 ...

, "Hey Dean, Hey Jean" by Dean & Jean, and "Party Girl" by

Bernadette Carroll The Angels were an American girl group that originated from New Jersey, best known for their 1963 No. 1 hit single " My Boyfriend's Back". History The group originated in New Jersey as the Starlets which consisted of sisters Barbara "Bibs" ...

. He also wrote, along with Jimmy Curtiss, the

Jimmie Rodgers James Charles Rodgers (September 8, 1897 – May 26, 1933) was an American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to popularity in the late 1920s. Widely regarded as "the Father of Country Music", he is best known for his distinctive rhythmi ...

1967 comeback (and last) hit, "Child of Clay". By the 1970s he was head of Laurie Records' publicity department, and continued as a record company executive. In 1992 he was responsible for selling the Laurie catalogue to

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

on behalf of Laurie's founders Gene and Bob Schwartz, and Eliot Greenberg. He continued to work until the 2000s, as a consultant to

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...

and administrator of Laurie's publishing. Ernie Maresca died on July 8, 2015 at his home in South Florida, after a brief illness at the age of 76.

Discography

Singles

As composer

* Dion: "

", " The Wanderer", "

"; and "

Donna the Prima Donna "Donna the Prima Donna" is a song written by Dion DiMucci and Ernie Maresca and performed by Dion. It reached No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, No. 9 on the ''Cash Box'' Top 100, and No. 17 on ''Billboard''s R&B chart in 1963,Dion and the Belmonts Dion and the Belmonts were an American vocal trio prominent throughout the 1950s. All of its members were from the Bronx, New York City. In 1957, Dion DiMucci joined the vocal group the Belmonts. The established trio of Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo M ...

: "

" * The Belmonts: "Come On Little Angel" * The Regents: "Runaround" * Dean & Jean: "Seven Day Wonder", "Hey Dean, Hey Jean" *

: "Party Girl" *

: "Child of Clay"

References

External links

Ace RecordsDiscogs.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maresca, Ernie 1938 births 2015 deaths American music industry executives American male singer-songwriters American people of Italian descent People from the Bronx Singer-songwriters from New York (state)