Frankie Valli |
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Wed. May 03.2000 8:46 AM EDT |
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Frankie Valliby Contributing Editor Frank Tortorici |
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With the Four Seasons, Frankie Valli has sold more than 100 million records. ( ) |
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Frankie Valli is best known as lead singer of seminal doo-wop group the Four Seasons, but he also has enjoyed a successful solo career. He was born Francis Casteluccio on
The latter group changed its name to the Four Lovers, who enjoyed a hit in 1956 with Otis Blackwell's "You're the Apple of My Eye," a song given to them by the songwriter with the provision that the group not record his "Don't Be Cruel," which he gave to Elvis Presley. When songwriter/keyboardist Bob Gaudio joined, the group changed its name to the Four Seasons, after a New Jersey cocktail lounge (though they briefly revived the Four Lovers name once more before they found fame). Intricate harmonies were always part of the band's sound, but Gaudio and producer Bob Crewe further developed the doo-wop/soul-pop hybrid that made the group famous. The Four Seasons recorded backing vocals for other artists before hitting it big in 1962 with the #1 hit "Sherry," which was highlighted by Valli's falsetto. The band, from which Nick DeVito and Majewski exited early on, continued in the same vein with its follow-up, the #1 "Big Girls Don't Cry" (RealAudio excerpt). During the '60s, 50 hits followed, including the #1's "Walk Like a Man," "Let's Hang On," "Working My Way Back to You," "Dawn," "Rag Doll" and "C'mon Marianne." In 1975, Valli scored as a solo artist with the #1 "My Eyes Adored You" (RealAudio excerpt), "Swearin' to God," and a cover of Ruby and the Romantics' "Our Day Will Come." The Four Seasons made a brief comeback with their huge smashes "Who Loves You" (1975) and 1976's "December 1963 (Oh What a Night)" (RealAudio excerpt), before splitting up. In 1978 Valli had a solo smash hit with the title theme to the movie "Grease." In 1980 a new lineup of the Four Seasons, including Valli, formed and has continued to gig occasionally as an oldies act. "December 1963" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, thanks to its appearance in the 1994 Oscar-winning movie "Forrest Gump." With more than 50 weeks on the chart, it is one of the longest-running singles in pop history. The Four Seasons were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Other birthdays Wednesday: Pete Seeger, 81; James Brown, 67; Pete Staples (Troggs), 56; Mary Hopkin, 50; Christopher Cross, 49; Bruce Hall (REO Speedwagon), 47; David Ball (Soft Cell), 41; and Bing Crosby, 1903–1977. |
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