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Four Seasons music biography continued...

can be traced to the working class neighborhoods of Newark, New Jersey in the mid-1950s when Frankie Valli (born Francis Stephen Castelluccio) joined the Variety Trio, a vocal group made up of Hank Majewski, and brothers Nick and Tommy Devito. Over the next several year the lineup and name of the band would change until they finally decided to call themselves The Four Seasons (after a bowling ally lounge that would not book them) and had a line-up consisting of Valli, Bob Gaudio, a keyboard player, vocalist and talented songwriter, Nick Massi, and Tommy Devito. Major success came to the Four Seasons in September of 1962, when their recording "Sherry," a Guadio composition, went to the top of the charts. The success of "Sherry" was quickly followed by another number one hit, "Big Girls Don't Cry," another Gaudio composition. Over the next five years, the Four Seasons would have a string of Top Ten hits including "Walk Like a Man," "Candy Girl," "Dawn," "Ronnie," "Rag Doll," "Save It for Me," "Let's Hang On," "Working My Way." Along with The Beach Boys, The Four Seasons were the only American group to survive the "British Invasion" of the pop charts in the mid-1960s, and become true superstars.



In the early 70s The Four Seasons' fortunes began to decline, while Frankie Valli enjoyed some success as a solo artist with "My Eyes Adored You" and "Swearin to God." Meanwhile, Gaudio recruited new personnel for the Four Seasons, including John Pavia, Lee Shapiro, Don Ciccone, and Gerry Polci, and signed a contract with Warner-Curb Records. In the autumn of 1975, the revised group had a major hit with "Who Loves You?" In the spring of 1976, the Four Seasons enjoyed an even bigger success with "December `63 (Oh, What a Night)." Throughout the 70s and 80s, The Four Seasons remained a popular touring and nightclub act. In 1990 The Four Seasons (group members 1960-1965) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2006, Jersey Boys, a musical about the lives of the Four Seasons, opened to critical and commercial acclaim on Broadway, cementing the group's status as rock and roll icons.