Patrick Michael DiNizio was the lead singer, songwriter and founding member of the band The Smithereens, which he formed in 1980 with Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken and Mike Mesaros from Carteret, New Jersey.
DiNizio in 2009
DiNizio and Severo Jornacion of the Smithereens performing at Bar Anticipation in Belmar, New Jersey in 2012
The Smithereens is an American rock band from Carteret, New Jersey. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio, Jim Babjak, Mike Mesaros, and Dennis Diken. This original lineup continued until 2006, when Mesaros left the band and Severo Jornacion took over on bass guitar until Mesaros' return in 2016. After DiNizio died in 2017, the band continued performing live shows as a trio with various guest vocalists.
Diken, Babjak, and DiNizio in 2009
The Smithereens in Grapevine, Texas, 2007.
Babjak (left) and Jornacion in 2009 in Rochester, Minnesota
Jim Babjak and Pat DiNizio perform with the Smithereens in Grapevine, Texas, 2007.