Patrick Michael DiNizio (October 12, 1955 – December 12, 2017) 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.

[5] The same year, he launched the "Living Room Tour", a five-month jaunt where he performed solo, by request only, in the homes of fans.

The special focused on DiNizio's recovery from a "life-threatening and debilitating nervous disorder" by training and attempting to try out for a Minor League Baseball team (The Somerset Patriots), along with tales of baseball folklore from other musicians such as Joan Jett, Gene Simmons, and Bruce Springsteen.

[11] DiNizio also released a book (also available in audiobook format), Confessions Of A Rock Star, and continued to perform both solo acoustic shows and with The Smithereens.

[citation needed] From November 2011 to June 2012, DiNizio presented a condensed, live adaptation of the book (with storytelling and full band accompaniment) in nightly performances at the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

According to bandmates, his health declined following a series of problems that began in 2015 after a pair of falls that resulted in nerve damage that limited the use of his right hand and arm.