Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

1960: The Four Lovers, led by front man Frankie Valli, have just flunked yet another audition. As they shuffle out of a crummy bowling alley in Union, New Jersey, Valli tries to remain optimistic as the other members are visibly frustrated. If they can’t even make it in a bowling alley cocktail lounge, how will they ever make it big? As they walk outside, guitarist Bob Gaudio (introduced to Valli by friend and future actor Joe Pesci) stares hard at the big neon sign that reads “The Four Seasons Bowling Alley”. Just then he has a thought: “Let’s rename ourselves the Four Seasons. That way when we make it big, the owner will really feel the sting of passing on us.” Valli approves and the band takes on the new name. With a new name in place, their luck begins to change.

Frankie Valli was born as Francesco Stephen Castellucio in a poor Italian neighborhood in Newark, NJ to a barber and a secretary. Valli first became inspired to sing in 1941 at the age of seven (or five, his actual birth year is disputed) after seeing Frank Sinatra perform in Manhattan, New York. In order to support himself as a teenager, Valli took up a job as a barber alongside his father.

In 1954, Valli and guitarist Tommy DeVito, along with three other members, formed the Variatones. The band saw minimal success and changed its name to the Four Lovers in 1956 after losing one if its members. That same year they released their first single “Apple of my eye”, which charted at 62 on the Billboard hot 100. The next two years saw little success and poor sales. In 1959, Bob Gaudio replaced rhythm guitarist Hank Majewski and shortly after the band had their failed audition at the bowling alley.

In late 1961 the luck of the Four Seasons began to change. They had signed a new contract with Vee-Jay records and released their first single entitled “Sherry”, written by Gaudio and Valli. Not only was “Sherry” the group’s first single, but it became their first number one hit. In 1962, they released their first album and the two singles “Big girl’s don’t cry” and “Walk like a man”, both of which went number one. This became the first time in history a rock and roll group had three consecutive number one hits.

The group prospered throughout the 1960’s, even as British Invasion groups began dominating American charts. Between 1964 and 1967 they released 16 top 40 hits, one of which went number one. In 1968 they released a cover of “Will you still love me tomorrow” which would ultimately be their last top 40 hit for seven years, however they maintained significant popularity as a performing act during this time.

In 1975, the Four Seasons’ popularity on the charts rebounded with the release of “Who loves you”, which went to number 3 on the charts. The group also experienced a large increase in record sales that same year. In January 1976 they released “December 1963 (Oh what a night!) which became the first number one on the Billboard charts that year. Although they released two more top 40 hits that year, “December 1963” ultimately marked the end of their hit making run.

Frankie Valli continues to tour as “Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons” (with Gaudio still owning 50% of the band). In 2004 a broadway play entitled Jersey Boys was written and began touring around the U.S. This was followed in 2011 by the Eastwood directed film of the same name.

The Four Seasons are often regarded as one of the greatest vocal groups of the 20th century, having earned five number one hits and 26 top forty hits. The Four Seasons and the Beach Boys are the only U.S based groups that experienced chart success before, during, and after the period known as the “British Invasion” or “Beatle Mania”.  In 1999 the original members were inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame.

My Picks

1. December 1963 (Oh what a night) -1975

2. Walk like a man -1962

3. Can’t take my eyes off you-1966

4. Sherry-1961

5. Who loves you-1975