Dominick Montiglio - Teenage Years and The Music Business

Teenage Years and The Music Business

Once living in Levittown, and free of his uncle Nino's constant influence, Dominick's life became like that of an average American teenager of the period. He took on a variety of jobs, including delivering newspapers and working in a fast-food restaurant and also played football at the school he attended. He also became a brother to both a younger brother and sister. His primary focus however was on music, specifically a vocal group he joined when he was 14 that called themselves “The Four Directions”. The group met with limited success, performing in nightclubs around Long Island and opening for local acts.

Despite living in Levittown, the Montiglios still kept in constant touch with the Gaggi side of the family at both family reunions as well as regular Sunday get-togethers in Brooklyn. It was at one of these family reunions that Dominick’s uncle Nino had warned him of the music industry, allegedly describing it to his nephew as a “... rotten, dirty business”. Gaggi did not agree with Dominick’s aspirations to become successful in show business through “The Four Directions”. Despite this warning, Dominick continued performing with the group, which was granted the opportunity to release a record of their own, which sold modestly.

After a drunken night where Dominick and the other Four Directions members stood outside of Carnegie Hall and began to sing for a crowd that was leaving after a performance inside, the group was contacted by the host of a variety show. The group performed on that show and then on others, including one in Cleveland where Dominick got to meet Sonny and Cher, the couple just beginning their rise to fame. After more performances in nightclubs and theaters, "The Four Directions" sought to record a completely original song and use its expected success to gain a foothold in the business.

The record company who had recorded their previous song was not interested however. Dominick then went to Nino to get assistance, as it was widely known at the time that there were higher-ups in the music business who were involved, in one way or another, with the Mafia. In fact, it was reported in newspapers at the time that Carlo Gambino himself controlled a record company located in New Jersey. Despite these alleged connections, Nino refused to help Dominick, reportedly saying that the music business was not a business he wanted his nephew to be involved with.