The Four Seasons (group)
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The Four Seasons are an American
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
and pop band formed in 1960 in
Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.The Four Lovers The Four Lovers was a band formed in 1956 that was the result of vocalist Frankie Valli joining The Variatones (Tommy DeVito, lead guitar; James Gregorio Valeo, then Henry Majewski, rhythm guitar; Frank Cottone, accordion; and Billy Thompson, dr ...
, with
Frankie Valli Francesco Stephen Castelluccio (born May 3, 1934), better known by his stage name Frankie Valli, is an American singer, known as the frontman of the Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is known for his unusually powerful lead falsetto voice. ...
as the lead singer,
Bob Gaudio Robert John Gaudio (born November 17, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the pop/rock band the Four Seasons. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced the vast majori ...
on keyboards and tenor vocals,
Tommy DeVito Tommy DeVito may refer to: * Tommy DeVito (American football), American football quarterback * Tommy DeVito (musician) (1928–2020), American musician and singer, member of The Four Seasons * Tommy DeVito, a character in the film ''Goodfellas'' pl ...
on lead guitar and baritone vocals, and
Nick Massi Nick Massi (born Nicholas E. Macioci, September 19, 1927 – December 24, 2000) was an American bass singer, songwriter, and bass guitarist for The Four Seasons. Biography Born in Newark, New Jersey, Nicholas "Massi" Macioci was first taught to ...
on bass guitar and bass vocals. On nearly all of their 1960s hits, they were credited as The 4 Seasons. The legal name of the organization is the Four Seasons Partnership, formed by Gaudio and Valli, and was taken after a failed audition in 1960. While band members have come and gone, Gaudio and Valli remain the band's constants, with each owning 50% of the act and its assets, including virtually all of its recording catalog. Gaudio no longer plays live, leaving Valli as the only original member of the band who still tours . The band's original line-up was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in 1990, and joined the
Vocal Group Hall of Fame The Vocal Group Hall of Fame (VGHF) is an American-based hall of fame that honors vocal groups throughout the world in every genre of music. Headquartered in the Columbia Theatre in Sharon, Pennsylvania, it includes a theater and a museum. It was ...
in 1999. They are one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, having sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide.


History


Before the Four Seasons

Frankie Valli's first commercial release was "My Mother's Eyes" (as Frankie Valley) in 1953. The following year, he and guitarist Tommy DeVito formed ''The Variatones'' (with Hank Majewski, rhythm guitar, Frank Cottone, accordion, and Billy Thompson, drums), which between 1954 and 1956 performed and recorded under a variety of names before settling on the name ''The Four Lovers''. The same year, the quartet released their first record,
Otis Blackwell Otis Blackwell (February 16, 1931 – May 6, 2002) was an American songwriter whose work influenced rock and roll. His compositions include "Fever" (recorded by Little Willie John), "Great Balls of Fire" and " Breathless" (recorded by Jerry Le ...
's " You're the Apple of My Eye", which appeared on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Top 100 singles chart, peaking at #62. Five more Four Lovers singles (on
RCA Victor RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also Aris ...
) were released over the next year, with virtually no sales, airplay, or jukebox play. In 1957, the band's seventh single (this time on
Epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film with heroic elements Epic or EPIC may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and medi ...
) had a similar lack of success. From 1956 until 1958, the group stayed together, performing in clubs and lounges as ''The Four Lovers'' and recording on music labels under various names: Frankie Tyler, Frankie Valli, Frankie Valli and the Travelers, Frankie Valli and the Romans, the Village Voices, and the Topics are some of the 18 "stage names" used individually or collectively by the members of the band. In 1958, Charles Calello replaced Nick Massi on bass in the lineup. In 1959, the band started working with
producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
/
songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
Bob Crewe Robert Stanley Crewe (November 12, 1930 – September 11, 2014) was an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, and record producer. He was known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for the Four Season ...
, primarily for session work (Crewe wrote "I Go Ape", which Valli recorded with the intention of releasing it as a "solo" single, only to be beaten to the punch by an unrelated song of the same name from
Neil Sedaka Neil Sedaka (; born March 13, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records worldwide and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collabo ...
, who became friends with Valli later on). Later that year, ''The Four Lovers'' were performing in
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
on the same stage as the
Royal Teens The Royal Teens were an American rock and roll band that formed in New Jersey in 1956 and originally consisted of Bob Gaudio on piano, Tom Austin on drums, Billy Dalton on guitar, and Billy Crandall on saxophone. The group is best known for its ...
, who were riding the wave of success of "
Short Shorts "Short Shorts" is a song written and performed by Tom Austin, Bill Crandell, Bill Dalton, Russ Viers, and Bob Gaudio, members of The Royal Teens. It reached #2 on the U.S. R&B chart and #3 on the U.S. pop chart in 1958. The group originally rele ...
", a song co-written by then-15-year-old
Bob Gaudio Robert John Gaudio (born November 17, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the pop/rock band the Four Seasons. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced the vast majori ...
, who was also the Royal Teens' keyboardist. In late 1959, Gaudio was added to ''The Four Lovers'' on keyboards and guitar, as a replacement for rhythm guitarist Hank Majewski. Early the following year, Nick Massi returned to replace Calello, who remained the band's musical arranger. In 1960, despite the changes of personnel, the fortunes of ''The Four Lovers'' had not changed—they failed an audition for a lounge at a
Union Township, Union County, New Jersey Union Township is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township population was 59,728, the highest rec ...
bowling establishment. According to Gaudio, "We figured we'll come out of this with something. So we took the name of the bowling alley. It was called the Four Seasons." Despite the last few years of frustration of ''The Four Lovers'', this proved to be the turning point for the band. Later, on a handshake agreement between keyboardist/composer Bob Gaudio and lead singer Frankie Valli, the Four Seasons Partnership was formed.


Rise

The Four Seasons signed as artists to Crewe's production company, and they released their first Crewe-produced single under their new name in 1961 ("
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"/"Spanish Lace" on
Gone Records Gone Records was a record label founded in 1957 by George Goldner, along with music publishing arm Real Gone Music, that was active in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Among the artists that recorded for the label were Bill Haley & His Comets, Ral D ...
). The single did not chart. The band continued working with producer Bob Crewe as background vocalists and sometimes leads under different names, for productions on Crewe's own Topix label. As a follow-up, Bob Gaudio wrote a song that, after some discussion between Crewe and Gaudio, was titled "Sherry". After the song was recorded, Crewe and the members of the band solicited record labels to release it. It was Frankie Valli who spoke with Randy Wood, West Coast sales manager for
Vee-Jay Records Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The label was founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a h ...
(not
the founder ''The Founder'' is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by Robert Siegel. Starring Michael Keaton as businessman Ray Kroc, the film portrays the story of his creation of the McDonald's fast-food resta ...
of
Dot Records Dot Records was an American record label founded by Randy Wood (record producer), Randy Wood and Gene Nobles that was active between 1950 and 1978. The original headquarters of Dot Records were in Gallatin, Tennessee. In 1956, the company moved ...
) who, in turn, suggested the release of "Sherry" to the decision-makers at Vee-Jay. "Sherry" made enough of an impression that Crewe was able to sign a deal between his production company and Vee-Jay for its release. They were the first white artists to sign with Vee-Jay. In 1962, the band released their first album, featuring the single "
Sherry Sherry ( es, jerez ) is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. Sherry is produced in a variety of styles made primarily from the Palomino grape, ranging from light versi ...
", which was not only their first charted hit but also their first number-one song. Under the guidance of Bob Crewe, the Four Seasons followed up "Sherry" with several million-selling singles, generally composed by Crewe and Gaudio, including "
Big Girls Don't Cry Big Girls Don't Cry may refer to: Music * ''Big Girls Don't Cry'' (Lynn Anderson album), 1968 * ''Big Girls Don't Cry'' (The Weather Girls album), 1986 * "Big Girls Don't Cry" (Fergie song), 2007 * "Big Girls Don't Cry" (The Four Seasons song), ...
" (their second #1 hit), " Walk Like a Man" (their third #1), " Candy Girl" (written by
Larry Santos Larry Santos (born June 2, 1941, in Oneonta, New York) is an American pop music singer-songwriter. Santos wrote songs for several American pop bands in the 1960s, including the 1963 hit " Candy Girl" for The Four Seasons which reached number 3 o ...
), "
Ain't That a Shame "Ain't That a Shame" is a song written by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew. Domino's recording of the song, originally stated as "Ain't It a Shame", released by Imperial Records in 1955, was a hit, eventually selling a million copies. It reached n ...
", and several others. Also, they released a Christmas album in December 1962 and charted with a unique rendition of "
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" is a Christmas song featuring Santa Claus written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. The earliest known recorded version of the song was by banjoist Harry Reser and his band on October 24, 1934. It was then ...
". From 1962 to early 1964,
the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
were the only band to match the Four Seasons in record sales in the United States, and their first three Vee-Jay non-holiday single releases (i.e., ignoring their version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town") marked the first time that a rock band hit #1 on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' singles charts with three consecutive entries. In 1962, they were invited to perform their hit "
Big Girls Don't Cry Big Girls Don't Cry may refer to: Music * ''Big Girls Don't Cry'' (Lynn Anderson album), 1968 * ''Big Girls Don't Cry'' (The Weather Girls album), 1986 * "Big Girls Don't Cry" (Fergie song), 2007 * "Big Girls Don't Cry" (The Four Seasons song), ...
" on the show ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...
.''


From Vee-Jay to Philips

Despite the band's success, Vee-Jay Records was in financial distress. The label had released several early
Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...
singles in America. When the Beatles became hugely popular, Vee-Jay was swamped with orders, and they shipped more than two million Beatles records in a single month. The demands of mass production, the cash-flow problems involved, and the loss of the Beatles when Trans-Global (a firm licensed by EMI to distribute its products) canceled Vee-Jay's contract on August 3, 1963, due to non-payment of royalties, found Vee-Jay hard-pressed to stay afloat. Vee-Jay continued to produce one Beatles album (in various forms) in defiance of the cancellation. After over a year of legal negotiations, Capitol Records was finally able to stop Vee-Jay, effective October 15, 1964. While the label went through internal turmoil with the Beatles and Capitol Records, a separate royalty dispute between Vee-Jay and the Four Seasons headed to court. In January 1964, after several successful albums but a lack of money from Vee-Jay, the Seasons left Vee-Jay and moved to
Philips Records Philips Records is a record label founded by the Dutch electronics company Philips. It was founded as Philips Phonographische Industrie in 1950. In 1946, Philips acquired the company which pressed records for British Decca's Dutch outlet in A ...
, then a division of
Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...
. In the 1965 settlement of the lawsuit, Vee-Jay retained release rights for all material the band recorded for the label. Vee-Jay exercised those rights liberally over the following year. The group was obligated to deliver one final album to Vee-Jay, which they did in the form of a "faux" live LP. (When Vee-Jay was finally declared bankrupt in 1966, the Four Seasons' Vee-Jay catalog reverted to the band to settle unpaid royalties, and the tracks were then reissued by Philips.) The change of label did not diminish the popularity of the Four Seasons in 1964, nor did the onslaught of the
British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" on b ...
and
Beatlemania Beatlemania was the fanaticism surrounding the English rock band the Beatles in the 1960s. The group's popularity grew in the United Kingdom throughout 1963, propelled by the singles "Please Please Me", "From Me to You" and "She Loves You". By ...
. However, "
Dawn (Go Away) "Dawn (Go Away)" is a song written by Bob Gaudio and Sandy Linzer and recorded by The Four Seasons in November 1963. The song hit No. 3 in the early part of 1964. According to ''Billboard'', it was the 25th biggest hit single of the year, pla ...
" was kept from the #1 spot on the Hot 100 by no fewer than three
Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...
singles in the March 21, 1964, edition (two weeks later, the top five slots were filled by Beatles singles). In a two-record set dubbed '' The Beatles vs the Four Seasons: The International Battle of the Century!'', Vee-Jay created an elaborate two-disc package that the purchaser could use to write on and score individual recordings by their favorite artist. The discs were reissues of the albums '' Introducing... The Beatles'' and ''
Golden Hits of the Four Seasons ''Golden Hits of the Four Seasons'' is an LP album by the Four Seasons, released by Vee-Jay Records under catalog number LP-1065 as a monophonic recording in 1963, and later in stereo under catalog number SR-1065 the same year. It reached numb ...
'', featuring each original album's label, title, and catalog number. Today, this album package is a collector's item.


One band, several acts

Nick Massi left the Four Seasons in September 1965. The band's arranger,
Charles Calello Charles Calello (born August 24, 1938) is an American arranger, composer, conductor, record producer, and singer born in Newark, New Jersey. Calello attended Newark Arts High School and the Manhattan School of Music, in New York City. His track r ...
(a former member of ''The Four Lovers''), stepped in as a temporary replacement. A few months later,
Joe Long Joseph Louis LaBracio (September 5, 1932 – April 21, 2021), known professionally as Joe Long, was an American musician best known as the bass guitarist for the Four Seasons. Life and career Long was a classically trained musician who studi ...
was permanently hired and became a mainstay of the band on bass and backing vocals until 1975, with Calello returning to arranging. In the meantime, the Four Seasons released recordings under a variety of names, including the Valli Boys,
the Wonder Who? The Wonder Who? was a ''nom de disque'' of The Four Seasons for four single records released from 1965 to 1967. It was one of a handful of "names" used by the group at that time, including Frankie Valli (as a "solo" artist even though the Four S ...
, and
Frankie Valli Francesco Stephen Castelluccio (born May 3, 1934), better known by his stage name Frankie Valli, is an American singer, known as the frontman of the Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is known for his unusually powerful lead falsetto voice. ...
. Every Valli "solo" recording from 1965 to "
My Eyes Adored You "My Eyes Adored You" is a 1974 song written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan. It was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in early 1974. After the Motown label balked at the idea of releasing it, the recording was sold to lead singer Frankie Valli ...
" in 1974 was recorded by the Four Seasons at the same time and in the same sessions as other Four Seasons material; these were usually distinguished in that material written and marketed as Valli solo numbers did not have Valli's trademark falsetto. Valli's first post-1960 single without the Seasons was 1975's " Swearin' to God". More top 20 singles followed in 1965, 1966, and 1967, including "
Let's Hang On! "Let's Hang On!" is a song composed by Bob Crewe, Sandy Linzer, and Denny Randell that was popularized by The Four Seasons in 1965. The single reached the No. 3 position in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart, the group's highest placement ...
", "
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" is a song written by Bob Dylan in 1962, recorded on November 14 that year, and released on the 1963 album ''The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan'' and as the b-side of the ''Blowin' in the Wind'' single. The song was cov ...
" (as the Wonder Who?), "
Working My Way Back to You "Working My Way Back to You" is a song made popular by The Four Seasons in 1966 and The Spinners in 1980. Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, the song was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in 1966, reaching No. 9 on the U.S. ''Bil ...
", " Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'bout Me)", "
I've Got You Under My Skin "I've Got You Under My Skin" is a song written by American composer Cole Porter in 1936. It was introduced that year in the Eleanor Powell musical film ''Born to Dance'' in which it was performed by Virginia Bruce. It was nominated for the Acad ...
", "
Can't Take My Eyes Off You "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is a 1967 song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio. It was recorded as a single by Frankie Valli. The song was among his biggest hits, earning a gold record and reaching No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for a week ...
" (released under Valli's name as a "solo" single), "
Beggin' "Beggin" is a song composed by Bob Gaudio and Peggy Farina and first released as a single by American band the Four Seasons in 1967. Initially charting at number 16 in the US, the song became popular in the Northern soul scene in the United Ki ...
" (later covered by Norwegian duo
Madcon Madcon is a Norwegian musical duo formed in 1992 by Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa. They have released eight albums as of 2022. They are best known for the 2007 cover of " Beggin'" by The Four Seasons and the 2015 single " Don't Worry" feat ...
and Italian band
Måneskin Måneskin are an Italian Rock music, rock band formed in Rome in 2016. The band are composed of vocalist Damiano David, bassist Victoria De Angelis, guitarist Thomas Raggi, and drummer Ethan Torchio. Performing in the streets in their early days, ...
), "
Tell It to the Rain "Tell It to the Rain" is a song composed by Mike Petrillo and Chubby Cifelli and popularized by The Four Seasons in 1966 and early 1967. The single reached the #10 position on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart. The song's arrangement inclu ...
", "
C'mon Marianne "C'mon Marianne" is a song composed by L. Russell Brown and Raymond Bloodworth and popularized by The Four Seasons (band), The Four Seasons in 1967 in music, 1967. Produced by Bob Crewe, the single was the last Four Seasons single to reach the T ...
", and "I Make a Fool of Myself" (Frankie Valli "solo"). Also, other Crewe/Gaudio songs that did not become hits for either Valli or the Four Seasons became international hits in cover versions, such as " Silence Is Golden" (
the Tremeloes The Tremeloes are an English beat group founded in 1958 in Dagenham, England. They initially found success in the British Invasion era with lead singer Brian Poole, scoring a UK chart-topper in 1963 with "Do You Love Me". After Poole's departu ...
) and "
The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore) "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)" is a song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio. It was originally released as a single credited to Frankie Valli as a solo artist in 1965 on the Smash label, but was more successful when recorded by the Walk ...
" (
the Walker Brothers The Walker Brothers were an United States, American pop music, pop musical ensemble, group of the 1960s and 1970s which included Noel Scott Engel (eventually known professionally as Scott Walker (singer), Scott Walker), John Walker (musician), Jo ...
). However, 1968's "
Will You Love Me Tomorrow "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", sometimes known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song with words by Gerry Goffin and music composed by Carole King. It was recorded in 1960 by the Shirelles at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, and hit n ...
" was the band's last top 40 hit for seven years (reaching #24), just after Valli's last "solo" hit of the 1960s, the #29 charted "To Give (The Reason I Live)".


End of the 1960s and move to Motown

By 1969, the band's popularity had declined, with public interest moving towards rock with a harder edge and music with more socially conscious lyrics. Aware of that, Bob Gaudio partnered with folk-rock songwriter
Jake Holmes Jake Holmes (born December 28, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and jingle writer who began a recording career in the 1960s. Holmes is the author of the song " Dazed and Confused", later reworked by Led Zeppelin. Holmes also composed the ...
to write a concept album titled ''
The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette ''The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette'' is a 1969 album by American rock band the Four Seasons. Member Bob Gaudio teamed up with Jake Holmes to create a psychedelic concept album which adjusted the band's stylings to the changing times of the late ...
'', which discussed contemporary issues from the band's standpoint, including divorce ("Saturday's Father"), and Kinks-style satirical looks at modern life (e.g., "American Crucifixion and Resurrection" and "Genuine Imitation Life"). The album cover was designed to resemble the front page of a newspaper, pre-dating Jethro Tull's ''
Thick as a Brick ''Thick as a Brick'' is the fifth studio album by the British rock band Jethro Tull, released on 3 March 1972. The album contains a continuous piece of music, split over two sides of an LP record, and is intended as a parody of the concept alb ...
'' by several years. The record was a commercial failure and led to the band's departure from Philips shortly after that, but it did catch the attention of
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
, whose 1969 album, ''
Watertown Watertown may refer to: Places in China In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways. Places in the United States *Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town **Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...
'', involved Gaudio, Holmes, and Calello. The Seasons' last single on Philips, 1970's "Patch of Blue", featured the band's name as "Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons", but the change in billing did not revive the band's fortunes. Reverting to the "Four Seasons" billing without Valli's name upfront, the group issued a single on Crewe's eponymous label, a rendition of "
And That Reminds Me "And That Reminds Me", also known as "My Heart Reminds Me", is a popular song. Background The music was based on the Italian instrumental, "Concerto d'autunno," by Camillo Bargoni. As "Autumn Concerto", it reached the Music Vendor pop survey in ver ...
", which peaked at number 45 on the Billboard chart. After leaving Philips, the Four Seasons recorded a one-off single for the
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Di ...
label in England, "Sleeping Man", backed by "Whatever You Say", which was never released in the USA. John Stefan, the band's lead trumpeter, arranged the horn parts. Following that single, the band signed to
Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
. The first LP, ''
Chameleon Chameleons or chamaeleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as of June 2015. The members of this family are best known for their distinct range of colors, bein ...
'', released by Motown subsidiary label MoWest Records in 1972, failed to sell. A 1971 Frankie Valli solo single on Motown, "Love Isn't Here", and three Four Seasons singles, "Walk On, Don't Look Back" on MoWest in 1972, "How Come" and "Hickory" on Motown in 1973, sank without a trace. A song from ''Chameleon'', " The Night", later became a Northern Soul hit and reached the top 10 of 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 ...
, but was not commercially released in the United States as a single, although promotional copies were distributed in 1972, showing the artist as Frankie Valli. In late 1973 and early 1974, the Four Seasons recorded eight songs for a second Motown album, which the company refused to release, and later in 1974, the label and the band parted ways. On behalf of the Four Seasons Partnership, Valli tried to purchase the entire collection of master recordings the group had made for Motown. After hearing the amount needed to buy them all, Valli arranged to purchase "
My Eyes Adored You "My Eyes Adored You" is a 1974 song written by Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan. It was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in early 1974. After the Motown label balked at the idea of releasing it, the recording was sold to lead singer Frankie Valli ...
" for $4,000. He took the tape to
Larry Uttal Lawrence Uttal (December 2, 1921 – November 25, 1993) was an American music business executive who led the Madison Records, Bell and Private Stock record labels in the 1960s and 1970s. He was born in New York City. He joined Bill Buchanan i ...
, the owner and founder of
Private Stock Records Private Stock Records was a record label that operated from 1974 to 1978. The label was founded by Larry Uttal after he was ousted from Bell Records. The label primarily focused on pop music and had numerous hit records, many of them one-hit wo ...
, who wanted to release it as a Frankie Valli solo single. Although the band remained unsigned in the later part of 1974, Valli had a new label—and a new solo career.


Resurgence

While new hits for the Four Seasons had dried up in the first half of the 1970s, the band never lost its popularity as a performing act. Longtime member Joe Long stayed in the group until 1975. The new lineup boasted two new lead singers in
Don Ciccone Donald Joseph Ciccone (February 28, 1946 – October 8, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter and musician. He was a founding member of the pop group the Critters, singing their biggest hits "Younger Girl" and "Mr. Dieingly Sad". The latter ...
(formerly of
the Critters The Critters were an American pop group with several hits in the 1960s, most notably "Mr. Dieingly Sad", a U.S. and Canadian Top 20 hit in 1966. Career The group formed in Plainfield, New Jersey, United States, in 1964 when singer-guitarist Do ...
) and
Gerry Polci Gerry Polci (born June 9, 1952) is an American singer and musician who was a member of the American rock and pop band The Four Seasons. Polci played and sang in the band variously between 1973 and 1990. He sang lead and played drums on a number ...
, who eased the singing load on an ailing Frankie Valli (who was gradually losing his hearing due to
otosclerosis Otosclerosis is a condition of the middle ear where portions of the dense enchondral layer of the bony labyrinth remodel into one or more lesions of irregularly-laid spongy bone. As the lesions reach the stapes the bone is resorbed, then hardene ...
, though eventually surgery restored most of it). As "My Eyes Adored You" climbed the Hot 100 singles chart in early 1975, Valli and Gaudio managed to get the Four Seasons signed with
Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
as the disco era dawned. At the same time, Uttal was persuaded to release ''
The Four Seasons Story ''The Four Seasons Story'' is a two-record compilation of The Four Seasons's biggest hit singles from 1962 to 1970. It was released in 1975 on the Private Stock label. It quickly became a gold record, selling over one million copies before the R ...
'', a two-record compilation of the band's biggest hit singles from 1962 to 1970. It quickly became a
gold record Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile meta ...
, selling over one million copies before the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
started awarding
platinum records Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
for million-selling albums. In 1975, record sales exploded for both Valli and the Four Seasons as both acts had million-selling singles in the United States ("My Eyes Adored You" hit #1 on the Hot 100 for Valli in March, "
Who Loves You ''Who Loves You'' is an album by The Four Seasons. It was released in 1975 on Warner/Curb Records. Background The record introduced the new Four Seasons lineup which now included John Paiva (guitar), Don Ciccone (bass), Lee Shapiro (keyboards) ...
" peaked at #3 in November for the band and number 6 in the UK chart). In the United Kingdom,
Tamla Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
released "The Night" as a single on the 'Mowest' label and saw it reach the #7 position 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 ...
. "My Eyes Adored You" was also a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom in February of that year. Valli had his first truly solo hit in the summer of 1975 when the Bob Crewe-produced " Swearin' to God" followed "My Eyes Adored You" into the upper reaches of the Hot 100, peaking at the #6 position and capitalizing on the growing disco craze. The song was released in three forms: the eight-minute album version, the ten-minute extended
12-inch single The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12″) is a type of vinyl ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a 'single' or a few related sound tracks on each surfac ...
version, and the four-minute single version. This record featured
Patti Austin Patti Austin (born August 10, 1950) is an American R&B, pop, and jazz singer and songwriter. Music career Austin was born in Harlem, New York, to Gordon Austin, a jazz trombonist. She was raised in Bay Shore, New York on Long Island. Quincy ...
on bridge vocals before she became well-known. Valli followed this with a discofied #11 hit version of
Ruby & the Romantics Ruby & the Romantics were an Akron, Ohio-based American R&B group in the 1960s, comprising Ruby Nash, George Lee, Ronald Mosely, Leroy Fann and Ed Roberts. The group had several pop and R&B hit records, topping the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 c ...
' "
Our Day Will Come "Our Day Will Come" is a popular song composed by Mort Garson with lyrics by Bob Hilliard. It was recorded by American R&B group Ruby & the Romantics in early December 1962, reaching #1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Ruby & the Romantics' orig ...
", also featuring Austin. The album ''
Who Loves You ''Who Loves You'' is an album by The Four Seasons. It was released in 1975 on Warner/Curb Records. Background The record introduced the new Four Seasons lineup which now included John Paiva (guitar), Don Ciccone (bass), Lee Shapiro (keyboards) ...
'' became a surprise million-seller for the band, as it was the first Four Seasons album to prominently feature lead vocals by anyone other than Valli ("Sorry" on ''Half & Half'' had featured Gaudio, DeVito and Long minus Valli, while "Wall Street Village Day" on ''Genuine Imitation Life Gazette'' featured Valli on just a couple of 'bridge' section lead vocal lines). Gerry Polci did about half of the lead vocals, sharing them with Valli and one led by Ciccone ('Slip Away'). The title song had Valli doing the lead on the verses, but none of the trademark
falsetto ''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous ed ...
s in the chorus. It was a top 10 British hit in October 1975, relaunching their career there. The Four Seasons opened 1976 atop the Billboard chart with their fifth #1 single, "
December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" is a song originally performed by the Four Seasons, written by original Four Seasons keyboard player Bob Gaudio and his future wife Judy Parker, produced by Gaudio, and included on the group's album, ''Who Lov ...
", co-written by Bob Gaudio and his future wife, Judy Parker. The single also hit number one in the United Kingdom. "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" had Polci singing lead on the verses, Ciccone featured on specific sections, and Valli on lead vocals only on the two bridge sections and backup vocals on the chorus. Although the band also scored minor chart placements with "
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
" (with Valli on harmony vocals) (#38 in 1976) and "Down the Hall" (#65 in 1977), both sung by Polci, and "Spend the Night in Love" (#91 in 1980), which again featured Polci as main lead vocalist and Valli singing the bridge section and contributing to backup group vocals, "December, 1963" marked the end of the Seasons' hit-making run. Both singles were hits in the United Kingdom, with "Silver Star" making the top 10. (A dance remix of "December, 1963" returned them briefly to the upper reaches of the ''Billboard'' singles charts almost two decades later).


After disco

The success of ''Who Loves You'' increased the popularity of the Four Seasons as a touring group and reignited recording unit, but when 1977's ''Helicon'' album was released by Warner Bros., the climate was changing again, both for the band and for Valli. The new record yielded only one USA single, "Down the Hall", which limped onto the Hot 100. In the UK they had chart hits with both "Down the Hall" and "Rhapsody" (with verses sung by
Don Ciccone Donald Joseph Ciccone (February 28, 1946 – October 8, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter and musician. He was a founding member of the pop group the Critters, singing their biggest hits "Younger Girl" and "Mr. Dieingly Sad". The latter ...
and Valli appearing to notable effect only as lead voice over group harmonies on the chorus). At the same time, Valli's string of solo hits had come to an end as he parted ways with Private Stock Records. ''Helicon'' saw Polci and Ciccone heavily featured as lead vocalists, Valli, besides his co-lead chorus vocal on "Rhapsody" and some backing vocals, only taking a brief bridge lead vocal on two songs that were sung mainly by Polci. However, on "New York Street Song (No Easy Way)", Valli also clearly stands out over the group harmonies on two notable a cappella sections. Plus, Valli took one solo lead vocal role on the album's concluding song, the brief Gaudio-Parker-penned "I Believe in You". Excluding Valli's 1978 " Grease" single, which hit #1 while the motion picture of the same name became the highest-grossing musical in cinematic history, the last top 40 hit for the band was behind them. Both Valli and the band released singles and albums on an occasional basis, but after "Grease", only a remixed version of their biggest seller, "December 1963" would visit the upper half of the Hot 100 (in 1994). In January 1981, Warners released ''Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons Reunited Live''. Produced by Bob Gaudio, it was a double album of concert recordings which included the two studio recordings "Spend the Night in Love" and "Heaven Must Have Sent You (Here in the Night)" sung by Valli. The latter became a UK single but failed to chart, while the former was released as a single in America, inching its way into the
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
. In 1984, a long-awaited collaboration between the Four Seasons and the Beach Boys, ''East Meets West'', was released on FBI Records, owned by the Four Seasons Partnership, which included most of the surviving Beach Boys (including Brian Wilson). However, the record did not sell well. Even after the rise and fall of the band's sales in the disco era, the Four Seasons, in one version or another (the group became a sextet as
Jerry Corbetta Jerry A. Corbetta (September 23, 1947 – September 16, 2016) was an American singer-songwriter, keyboardist and organist, record producer— best known as a frontman for the Colorado rock band Sugarloaf, best known for their classic rock hit ...
, formerly of
Sugarloaf A sugarloaf was the usual form in which refined sugar was produced and sold until the late 19th century, when granulated and cube sugars were introduced. A tall cone with a rounded top was the end product of a process in which dark molasses, a ri ...
, joined the lineup), continued to be a popular touring act, with Valli being the only constant in the midst of a fluctuating lineup. Although Gaudio is still officially part of the band (he and Valli are still equal partners in the Four Seasons Partnership), he now restricts his activities to writing, producing, and the occasional studio work. In August 1985, MCA Records released the band album ''Streetfighter'', which yielded two singles in the title track and "Book of Love", a
post-disco Post-disco (also called boogie, synth-funk, or electro-funk) is a term to describe an aftermath in popular music history circa 1979–1985, imprecisely beginning with an unprecedented backlash against disco music in the United States, leading to c ...
-style revamp of the Monotones' 1957 recording. In September 1992, a band album was released entitled ''Hope + Glory'' on the MCA/Curb label. In 2003, Valli revamped the group and started touring with a new band of Four Seasons consisting of Landon Beard, Todd Fournier, and brothers Brian Brigham and Brandon Brigham. Beard, Fournier and the Brigham brothers performed as The Four Seasons for 15 years, longer than any other lineup and longer than any of the band's other members except Valli and Gaudio. In 2018, the Beard/Fournier/Brigham quartet spun off and began performing as The Modern Gentlemen, with Valli's blessing, and Valli recruited a new quartet of musicians to back him. A massive 3CD + 1DVD box set ''...Jersey Beat... The Music Of Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons'' was released in mid-2007, marketed as the most comprehensive collection of Four Seasons music yet. The album title ''Jersey Beat'' is a play on ''
Jersey Boys ''Jersey Boys'' is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe, and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is presented in a documentary-style format that dramatizes the formation, success and eventual break-up of th ...
,'' a successful Broadway musical about the Four Seasons, as well as on ''
Mersey Beat ''Mersey Beat'' was a music publication in Liverpool, England in the early 1960s. It was founded by Bill Harry, who was one of John Lennon's classmates at Liverpool Art College. The paper carried news about all the local Liverpool bands, and s ...
'', a term first coined as the title of a music magazine published in Liverpool, England, from 1961, but subsequently also used to describe Liverpool's "beat music" culture of the early 1960s. In 2008, the Four Seasons' "Beggin'" was revived by two acts. Pilooski made an electro remix of that song, while rap act
Madcon Madcon is a Norwegian musical duo formed in 1992 by Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa. They have released eight albums as of 2022. They are best known for the 2007 cover of " Beggin'" by The Four Seasons and the 2015 single " Don't Worry" feat ...
used it as the basis of their song "Beggin'". The latter reached number 5 in the UK charts and was a hit across Europe. The song was featured in a TV commercial for
adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
shoes entitled "Celebrate Originality". The Adidas commercial is a popular hit on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
and features a house party with famous celebrities such as
David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham (; born 2 May 1975) is an English former professional footballer, the current president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF and co-owner of Salford City. Known for his range of passing, crossing ability and bending fr ...
,
Russel Simmons Russel Simmons is an American businessman. He co-founded Yelp, Inc. with Jeremy Stoppelman and served as CTO from July 2004 until he left in June 2010. Prior to co-founding Yelp, Simmons was a co-founder of PayPal, where he was a Lead Software A ...
,
Kevin Garnett Kevin Maurice Garnett ( ; born May 19, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who played for 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed KG by his initials, and the "Big Ticket" for his emphatic dunki ...
,
Missy Elliott Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
,
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
, and
Mark Gonzales Mark Gonzales (born June 1, 1968), also known as "Gonz" and "The Gonz", is an American professional skateboarder and artist. He is known as the godfather of modern street skateboarding and was named the "Most Influential Skateboarder of All Time ...
. As part of the ''BBC Proms in the Park'' they performed with the BBC Concert Orchestra in
Hyde Park Hyde Park may refer to: Places England * Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London * Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds * Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield * Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester Austra ...
on September 10, 2016. In 2020, the group launched a
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel, featuring the group virtually re-recording some of their songs. A limited-edition 44-disc career box set called "Working Our Way Back to You: The Ultimate Collection" was initially going to be released in the summer of 2021 by The Four Seasons Partnership and Snapper Records, but it missed the release due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the box set was re-scheduled for release on December 9, 2022, before the release date was pushed back to April 14, 2023. It will include every album released by the band, a CD of unreleased tracks from the band's Mowest years, three live shows taken from soundboard recordings as well as numerous other rare tracks and alternative versions.


Other names

From 1956 until "My Eyes Adored You" in 1975, records which the Four Seasons recorded had the following artist credit (a sampling):


Pre-1960

* Frankie Vall * Frankie Valley * Frankie Valle and the Romans * The Four Lovers * Frankie Tyler * The Variatones


1960 and after

* The Four Seasons * Hal Miller and the Rays * Billy Dixon and the Topics * Johnny Halo featuring the Four Seasons * The 4 Seasons * The Wonder Who? * Frankie Valli * The Valli Boys * Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons * The Romans * The Village Voices


Band members

Partial credits before 1994.


Current

*
Frankie Valli Francesco Stephen Castelluccio (born May 3, 1934), better known by his stage name Frankie Valli, is an American singer, known as the frontman of the Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is known for his unusually powerful lead falsetto voice. ...
– vocals (1960–present) * Robby Robinson – keyboards, musical director (1979–1996, 2004–present) * Ronen Bay – backing vocals (2018–present) * Craig Cady – backing vocals (2018–present) * Aaron Alexander Gordon – backing vocals (2022–present) * Noah Rivera – backing vocals (2020–present) * Rick Keller – saxophone, flute, keyboards, percussion (2002–present) * Basil Fung – guitar (2017–present) * Andy Sanesi - drums (2018–present) * Carmen Grillo – guitar (2021–present) * Alfredo Lopez – bass (2021–present)


Former

*
Tommy DeVito Tommy DeVito may refer to: * Tommy DeVito (American football), American football quarterback * Tommy DeVito (musician) (1928–2020), American musician and singer, member of The Four Seasons * Tommy DeVito, a character in the film ''Goodfellas'' pl ...
– vocals, guitar (1960–1970) *
Bob Gaudio Robert John Gaudio (born November 17, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the pop/rock band the Four Seasons. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced the vast majori ...
– vocals, keyboards, guitar (1960–1971) *
Nick Massi Nick Massi (born Nicholas E. Macioci, September 19, 1927 – December 24, 2000) was an American bass singer, songwriter, and bass guitarist for The Four Seasons. Biography Born in Newark, New Jersey, Nicholas "Massi" Macioci was first taught to ...
– vocals, bass (1960–1965) *
Charles Calello Charles Calello (born August 24, 1938) is an American arranger, composer, conductor, record producer, and singer born in Newark, New Jersey. Calello attended Newark Arts High School and the Manhattan School of Music, in New York City. His track r ...
– backing vocals, bass (1965) *
Joe Long Joseph Louis LaBracio (September 5, 1932 – April 21, 2021), known professionally as Joe Long, was an American musician best known as the bass guitarist for the Four Seasons. Life and career Long was a classically trained musician who studi ...
– vocals, bass (1965–1975) * Bob Grimm – vocals, guitar (1970-1971) * Demetri Callas – vocals, guitar (1971-1973, died 2020) * Bill DeLoach – vocals, keyboards (1971-1973) * Clay Jordan – vocals, keyboards (1971) * Ronnie Carangelo – drums (1971) * Richard Natoli – saxophone, horn (1972-1977, 1979–1982) *
Don Ciccone Donald Joseph Ciccone (February 28, 1946 – October 8, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter and musician. He was a founding member of the pop group the Critters, singing their biggest hits "Younger Girl" and "Mr. Dieingly Sad". The latter ...
– vocals, bass, rhythm guitar (1972-1977, 1979–1982, died 2016) *
Gerry Polci Gerry Polci (born June 9, 1952) is an American singer and musician who was a member of the American rock and pop band The Four Seasons. Polci played and sang in the band variously between 1973 and 1990. He sang lead and played drums on a number ...
– vocals, drums (1973-1977, 1979–1982, 1988–1990) *
Lee Shapiro Lee Shapiro (1949–1987) was an American documentary filmmaker. His one feature-length film, ''Nicaragua Was Our Home'', was released in 1986. It was filmed in Nicaragua among the Miskito people, Miskito Indians who were then fighting against Nica ...
– keyboards (1973-1981) * – vocals, lead and rhythm guitars (1973-1977)In the early 1970's, John Paiva was a member of the band
The Happenings The Happenings are a pop music group that originated in the 1960s. Members of the original group, created in the spring of 1961 and initially called "The Four Graduates" because all had just graduated from high school in Paterson, New Jersey, we ...
and a studio musician.
*
Jerry Corbetta Jerry A. Corbetta (September 23, 1947 – September 16, 2016) was an American singer-songwriter, keyboardist and organist, record producer— best known as a frontman for the Colorado rock band Sugarloaf, best known for their classic rock hit ...
– vocals, keyboards (1979-1985) * Larry Lingle – guitar (1979-1993, 2015) * Rex Robinson – vocals, bass (1979-2003) * Mike Lingle – drums (1982-1985) * Lynn Hammann – vocals, drums (1982-1988) * Chuck Wilson – percussion (1982-1990); drums (1990-1993) * Robin Swenson – keyboards (1985-1991) * Howard Larrabee – vocals, keyboards (1988-1990) * Richie Gajate-Garcia – percussion (1990-2019) * Tim Stone – vocals, keyboards (1991-1996?) * Daniel "Zoro" Donelly – drums (1994-2005) *
Adrian Baker Adrian Baker (born 18 January 1951, London) is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer. Career Baker made his debut as a singer on Magnet Records/Epic Records in the United Kingdom. In 1975, he released his first solo album, ''Into ...
– vocals, guitar (1994-1995) * Tommy Alvarado – saxophone, percussion (1994-1996) * Fino Roverato – guitar (1994-2003?) * Warren Ham – saxophone (1996-2000) * Todd Fournier – vocals (2002–2018) * Jason Martinez – vocals (2002-2007, 2018) * Rich Callaci – keyboards (2003) * Landon Beard – vocals (2003–2018) * Brian Brigham – vocals (2003–2018) * Keith Hubacher – bass (2004-2007, 2016–2018) * Craig Pilo - drums (2005-2018) * Val Martinez – vocals (2006) * Brandon Brigham – vocals (2006–2018) * John Schroeder – guitar (c. 2012) * Robbie Angelucci – guitar (c. 2012) * John Menzano – bass (c. 2012) * Brad Sharp (2015-2016) * Erik Bates – vocals (2018-2020) * Joseph Ott – backing vocals (2018–2022) * Sandro Rebel – keyboards (2018-2020) * Wil Roberts – bass (2018-2020) * Christian Moraga – percussion (2019-2020) * Edwin Livingston – bass (2020) *
Jamie Kime Jamie Kime is an American guitarist who has worked with Michelle Branch, Jewel, and as a member of the Zappa Plays Zappa world tour. Kime attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California, training under guitarists such as Peter Spr ...
– guitar (2020–2021) * Steve Warren – bass (2021)


Timeline

ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:90 top:0 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1960 till:01/08/2020 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3 ScaleMajor = increment:5 start:1965 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1961 Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:trump value:skyblue legend:Trumpet id:sax value:gray(0.5) legend:Saxophone id:backvox value:pink legend:Backing_vocals id:studio value:black legend:Studio_album BarData = bar:Frankie text:"Frankie Valli" bar:Tommy text:"Tommy DeVito" bar:Bob2 text:"Bob Grim" bar:Demetri text:"Demetri Callas" bar:Clay text:"Clay Jordan" bar:John text:"John Paiva" bar:Larry text:"Larry Lingle" bar:Fino text:"Fino Roverato" bar:Adrian text:"Adrian Baker" bar:Matt text:"Matt Baldoni" bar:Gary text:"Gary Melvin" bar:Nick text:"Nick Massi" bar:Charlie text:"Charlie Calello" bar:Joe text:"Joe Long" bar:Don text:"Don Ciccone" bar:Rex text:"Rex Robinson" bar:Keith text:"Keith Hubacher" bar:Bob text:"Bob Gaudio" bar:Al text:"Al Ruzicka" bar:Joe2 text:"Joseph Stefanelli" bar:Lee text:"Lee Shapiro" bar:Robbie text:"Robbie Robinson" bar:Jerry text:"Jerry Corbetta" bar:Robin text:"Robin Swenson" bar:Howard text:"Howard Laravea" bar:Tim text:"Tim Stone" bar:Rich text:"Rich Callaci" bar:Gary2 text:"Gary Volpe" bar:Paul text:"Paul Wilson" bar:Billy text:"Billy DeLoach" bar:Gerry text:"Gerry Polci" bar:Lynn text:"Lynn Hamman" bar:Chuck text:"Chuck Wilson" bar:Zoro text:"Zoro" bar:Craig text:"Craig Pilo" bar:John2 text:"John Stefan" bar:Tom text:"Tommy Alvarado" bar:Warren text:"Warren Hamm" bar:Steve text:"Steve Gregory" bar:Todd text:"Todd Fournier" bar:Brian text:"Brian Brigham" bar:Brandon text:"Brandon Brigham" bar:Landon text:"Landon Beard" PlotData = width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Frankie from:01/01/1960 till:end color:vocals bar:Frankie from:01/04/1973 till:31/12/1978 color:backvox width:3 bar:Frankie from:01/01/1981 till:31/12/1982 color:backvox width:3 bar:Tommy from:01/01/1960 till:30/04/1970 color:guitar bar:Tommy from:01/01/1960 till:30/04/1970 color:backvox width:3 bar:Bob2 from:01/05/1970 till:31/12/1970 color:guitar bar:Demetri from:01/01/1971 till:31/12/1974 color:guitar bar:Clay from:01/01/1972 till:31/12/1973 color:guitar bar:John from:01/01/1975 till:31/12/1977 color:guitar bar:Larry from:01/01/1981 till:31/12/1992 color:guitar bar:Fino from:01/01/1993 till:31/12/1993 color:guitar bar:Adrian from:01/01/1994 till:31/12/1994 color:guitar bar:Fino from:01/01/1995 till:31/12/1999 color:guitar bar:Matt from:01/01/2005 till:31/12/2005 color:guitar bar:Gary from:01/01/2006 till:end color:guitar bar:Matt from:01/01/2014 till:end color:guitar bar:Nick from:01/01/1960 till:31/08/1965 color:bass bar:Nick from:01/01/1960 till:31/08/1965 color:backvox width:3 bar:Charlie from:01/09/1965 till:30/11/1965 color:bass bar:Charlie from:01/09/1965 till:30/11/1965 color:backvox width:3 bar:Joe from:01/12/1965 till:30/04/1975 color:bass bar:Joe from:01/12/1965 till:30/04/1975 color:backvox width:3 bar:Don from:01/10/1972 till:30/04/1975 color:guitar bar:Don from:30/04/1975 till:31/12/1978 color:bass bar:Don from:30/04/1975 till:31/12/1978 color:vocals width:3 bar:Rex from:01/01/1979 till:31/12/1980 color:bass bar:Don from:01/01/1981 till:31/12/1982 color:bass bar:Don from:01/01/1981 till:31/12/1982 color:vocals width:3 bar:Rex from:01/01/1983 till:31/12/2000 color:bass bar:Keith from:01/01/2001 till:01/05/2018 color:bass bar:Bob from:01/01/1960 till:31/08/1971 color:keys bar:Bob from:31/08/1971 till:01/01/1986 color:keys width:3 bar:Bob from:01/01/1960 till:31/08/1971 color:backvox width:3 bar:Bob from:01/01/1991 till:01/01/1993 color:keys width:3 bar:Al from:01/09/1971 till:31/12/1972 color:keys bar:Joe2 from:01/01/1971 till:31/12/1972 color:keys bar:Lee from:01/01/1973 till:31/12/1979 color:keys bar:Robbie from:01/01/1979 till:end color:keys bar:Jerry from:01/01/1980 till:31/12/1984 color:keys bar:Robin from:01/01/1985 till:31/12/1985 color:keys bar:Howard from:01/01/1986 till:31/05/1988 color:keys bar:Robin from:01/06/1988 till:14/11/1990 color:keys bar:Tim from:15/11/1990 till:31/12/1997 color:keys bar:Tim from:15/11/1990 till:31/12/1997 color:vocals width:3 bar:Rich from:01/01/1998 till:08/08/2000 color:keys bar:Gary2 from:01/01/1970 till:31/12/1971 color:drums bar:Paul from:01/01/1972 till:31/12/1972 color:drums bar:Billy from:01/01/1973 till:31/03/1973 color:drums bar:Gerry from:01/04/1973 till:31/12/1977 color:drums bar:Gerry from:01/04/1973 till:31/12/1977 color:vocals width:3 bar:Gerry from:01/01/1979 till:28/02/1982 color:drums bar:Gerry from:01/01/1979 till:28/02/1982 color:vocals width:3 bar:Lynn from:01/03/1982 till:31/12/1987 color:drums bar:Gerry from:01/01/1988 till:31/12/1990 color:drums bar:Gerry from:01/01/1988 till:31/12/1990 color:vocals width:3 bar:Chuck from:01/01/1991 till:31/12/1991 color:drums bar:Zoro from:01/01/1992 till:04/04/1996 color:drums bar:Billy from:05/04/1996 till:31/12/1997 color:drums bar:Billy from:01/01/1998 till:31/12/2000 color:drums bar:Craig from:01/10/2005 till:01/01/2019 color:drums bar:John2 from:01/01/1970 till:31/12/1971 color:trump bar:Tom from:01/01/1994 till:31/12/2000 color:sax bar:Warren from:01/01/1997 till:31/12/2000 color:sax bar:Steve from:01/01/2001 till:31/12/2005 color:sax bar:Todd from:01/01/2002 till:01/01/2019 color:backvox bar:Brian from:06/01/2003 till:01/01/2019 color:backvox bar:Brandon from:01/01/2006 till:01/01/2019 color:backvox bar:Landon from:06/01/2003 till:01/01/2019 color:backvox LineData = layer:back color:studio at:01/09/1962 at:01/12/1962 at:01/02/1963 at:01/06/1963 at:01/02/1964 at:01/03/1964 at:01/07/1964 at:01/03/1965 at:01/10/1965 at:01/01/1966 at:01/05/1967 at:01/02/1969 at:01/05/1970 at:01/05/1972 at:01/11/1975 at:01/04/1977 at:01/08/1985 at:01/09/1992


Discography


Studio albums

This is not a complete list of album releases. These recordings have been reissued on a variety of labels, some of which are noted here. This list includes only those Frankie Valli solo albums (the first two) that were recorded as Four Seasons productions.


Compilation and live albums

The peak position on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 albums chart follows the album title.


Selected singles

The US chart position on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
singles chart follows the song title. Only singles that reached a position of #30 or higher on the Hot 100 are listed.


''Jersey Boys''

''Jersey Boys'', a
musical play Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...
based on the lives of the Four Seasons and directed by
Des McAnuff Desmond Steven McAnuff (born June 19, 1952) is the American-Canadian former artistic director of Canada's Stratford Festival and director of such Broadway musical theatre productions as '' Big River'', ''The Who's Tommy'' and ''Jersey Boys''. ...
(''
The Who's Tommy ''The Who's Tommy'' is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Pete Townshend and a book by Townshend and Des McAnuff. It is based on the 1969 rock opera ''Tommy'' by The Who. Productions The musical opened at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, ...
'', ''
700 Sundays ''700 Sundays'' is an autobiography written by Billy Crystal. The title refers to the number of Sundays shared by Billy and his father, Jack Crystal, who died when Billy was 15. Broadway Crystal's stage adaptation was originally produced in 2004 ...
)'', premiered at his
La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under ...
and opened on November 6, 2005 to generally positive reviews. It subsequently won multiple
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
s after its move to Broadway. The original cast included
John Lloyd Young John Lloyd Mills Young (born July 4, 1975) is an American actor and singer. In 2006, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Frankie Valli in Broadway's ''Jersey Boys''. He is the only American actor to date to ...
as Frankie Valli, Daniel Reichard as Bob Gaudio, Christian Hoff as Tommy DeVito, and J. Robert Spencer as Nick Massi. The play portrays the history of the Four Seasons in four parts, with each part narrated by a different member of the band and supposedly reflecting that band member's perspective on the band's history. The author of the book of the play, Rick Elice, interviewed Valli, Gaudio, and DeVito in writing the play, and pieced together Nick Massi's point of view based on those interviews (Massi had died before the play was written.) The Broadway production won four 2006 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Actor (for
John Lloyd Young John Lloyd Mills Young (born July 4, 1975) is an American actor and singer. In 2006, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Frankie Valli in Broadway's ''Jersey Boys''. He is the only American actor to date to ...
as Frankie Valli), Best Featured Actor (for Christian Hoff as Tommy DeVito), and Best Lighting Design. There are currently three U.S. productions of ''Jersey Boys'' running outside New York and other productions overseas including productions in Toronto, London, Australia, South Africa and The Netherlands. The
movie adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
, directed by
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...
, starred
John Lloyd Young John Lloyd Mills Young (born July 4, 1975) is an American actor and singer. In 2006, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Frankie Valli in Broadway's ''Jersey Boys''. He is the only American actor to date to ...
as Frankie Valli,
Vincent Piazza Vincent Piazza (born May 25, 1976) is an American film, television and stage actor. He is best known for his portrayal of gangster Lucky Luciano in the HBO television series ''Boardwalk Empire''. He has also played Earl Hefner in the comedy-dram ...
as Tommy DeVito, Michael Lomenda as Nick Massi and
Erich Bergen Erich Bergen (born December 31, 1985) is an American actor, singer and presenter, best known for his roles as Bob Gaudio in the biographical musical drama film ''Jersey Boys'' and as Blake Moran in the CBS television series '' Madam Secretary'' ...
as Bob Gaudio. This film was released on June 20, 2014.


See also


Notes


References


External links

* * *
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame page on the Four Seasons



"Jersey Boys", the Broadway Musical based on the life of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons


* ttp://www.seasonally.co.uk/ The Four Seasons in the UK– Enthusiasts and historical society site. * ttps://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc701842/m1/6/ The Man on the Beat: John Gilliland and The Pop Chronicles
The Four Seasons on ''The Ed Sullivan Show''


{{DEFAULTSORT:Four Seasons, The 1960 establishments in New Jersey American pop music groups American rhythm and blues musical groups American rock music groups American soul musical groups Jersey Shore musical groups Motown artists Musical backing groups Musical groups established in 1960 Musical quartets Musicians from New Jersey Philips Records artists Rock and roll music groups Rock music groups from New Jersey Vee-Jay Records artists Warner Records artists