The Four Seasons (group)
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| The Four Seasons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Origin | Newark, New Jersey | |
| Genre(s) | Rock/Pop | |
| Years active | 1961– | |
| Members | ||
| Frankie Valli Bob Gaudio Tommy DeVito Nick Massi Gerry Polci Joe Long |
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The Four Seasons, (later known as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons), was an American pop group, distinct from many similar groups of the early to mid-1960s in its traditional Italian-American sound. It also had a sound somewhat reminiscent of doo wop, but it was not known as a doo wop quartet. By the later 1960s it became an internationally famous rock and roll group.
Originally known as "The Four Lovers", they were formed in 1961 with Frankie Valli as the lead singer, Bob Gaudio on keyboards/tenor vocals, Tommy DeVito on lead guitar/baritone vocals and Nick Massi on bass guitar/bass vocals who was replaced in 1965 by Joe Long on bass guitar/bass vocals.
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[edit] History
Frankie Valli and Tommy DeVito previously performed with Nick DeVito (Tommy's twin brother) and Hank Majewski as The Four Lovers. The group used several different names, and then settled on The Four Seasons, taking their name from a Union, NJ, Bowling Alley. The Four Seasons released their first hit, "Sherry," in 1962. Under the guidance of producer/songwriter Bob Crewe, The Four Seasons followed up "Sherry" with several well-remembered hits, including "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Dawn", "Walk Like a Man", "Candy Girl" and "Save It for Me". Nick Massi left the Four Seasons in 1965 and was replaced by Joe Long, who became the mainstay on bass and backup vocals until 1976. Several more Top 10 singles followed, including "Let's Hang On", "Working My Way Back To You", "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and "C'mon Marianne", and the group also released additional singles under the pseudonym "The Wonder Who?". The Wonder Who?'s version of Bob Dylan's song "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" became a Top 20 hit.
By late 1967 the group's popularity was deteriorating as public interest moved towards rock with a harder edge and more socially conscious lyrics. The group would, however, enjoy a brief revival in its popularity in the mid-1970s, with the hits "Who Loves You", "Swearin' to God" and its last number one hit "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)". Lead guitarist Don Ciccone was a member of the Four Seasons in 1976 and was lead vocal on several songs, such as "Slip Away", "Let's Get It Right" and "Rhapsody."
The Four Seasons (group members 1961–1965) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. Jersey Boys, a musical play based on the lives of The Four Seasons, directed by Des McAnuff (The Who's Tommy, 700 Sundays) premiered at his La Jolla (California) Playhouse and opened on Broadway on November 6, 2005 to generally positive reviews. It won 2006 Tony Awards for Best Leading and Featured Actor in a Musical won by John Lloyd Young and Christian Hoff, Best Light Design in a Musical and Best Musical.
Throughout the early 70s, membership of the Four Seasons was erratic, and Gaudio retired from performing to concentrate on producing. Despite impending deafness, Valli was back at number 1 in 1975 with "My Eyes Adored You." With an old track from Chameleon, "The Night", adding to the glory and the latest group line-up reaching the US Top 3 with "Who Loves You", it was evident that the Four Seasons were as popular as ever. Immense success followed as the group became part of the disco boom sweeping America.
The nostalgic "December 1963 (Oh What A Night)" was a formidable transatlantic number 1 in 1976, but the following year, Valli left the group to concentrate on his solo career. While he again hit number 1 in the USA with the Barry Gibb movie theme, Grease, the Four Seasons continued with drummer Gerry Polci taking on lead vocals. Valli returned to the group for a double album recorded live at Madison Square Garden. A team-up with the Beach Boys on the single "East Meets West" in 1984 was followed by a studio album, Streetfighter, which featured Valli. In 1990, the group was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Still going strong, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons have become an institution whose illustrious history spans several musical eras, from the barber shop harmonies of the 50s to the disco beat of the 70s and beyond. It is however the timeless hit singles of the 60s to which the group are indelibly linked.
Source: VH1.com
The group's music was one of many influences to the Jersey Shore sound of the 1970s and 1980s. However, by the 1980s, Valli was the only original group member left. Valli still tours today, performing many of The Four Seasons classic songs. Nick Massi died in 2000 of cancer. Despite Joe Long's extensive contributions to the Four Seasons, he remains the only member of the group's “definitive line-up” not inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, most likely because he was not in the original group. Much controversy still exists over this decision, especially in light of the many Top 10 hits the group had during his tenure.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
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[edit] Singles
- 1962: "Sherry", peaked at #1 on US pop chart
- 1962: "Big Girls Don't Cry", #1
- 1963: "Walk Like a Man", #1
- 1963: "Candy Girl", #3
- 1963: "Marlena", #36
- 1964: "Dawn (Go Away)", #3
- 1964: "Stay", #16 (originally recorded by Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs)
- 1964: "Ronnie", #6
- 1964: "Alone", #28 (originally recorded by The Shepherd Sisters)
- 1964: "Rag Doll", #1
- 1964: "Save It For Me", #10
- 1964: "Big Man In Town", #20
- 1965: "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby, Goodbye)", #12
- 1965: "Girl Come Running", #30
- 1965: "Let's Hang On (To What We've Got)", #3
- 1965: "Don't Think Twice (It's Alright)", #20 (recorded as The Wonder Who?)
- 1966: "Working My Way Back To You", #9
- 1966: "Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'Bout Me)", #13
- 1966: "I've Got You Under My Skin", #9 (cover of Cole Porter's classic)
- 1966: "Tell It To The Rain", #10
- 1967: "Beggin'", #16
- 1967: "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", #2 (recorded as Frankie Valli)
- 1967: "C'mon Marianne", #9
- 1968: "Will You Love Me Tomorrow", #24 (originally recorded by The Shirelles)
- 1974: "My Eyes Adored You", #1 (recorded as Frankie Valli)
- 1975: "Swearin' To God", #6 (recorded as Frankie Valli)
- 1975: "Who Loves You", #3
- 1975: "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)", #1
- 1994: "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)", #14 (remixed dance version)
[edit] Notes
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[edit] External links
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame page on The Four Seasons
- 'The Four Seasons' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page.
- The Four Seasons.com fan site
- The Four Seasons Blog A blog of the fans
- "Jersey Boys", the Broadway Musical based on the life of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
- Jersey Boys Blog Dedicated to Jersey Boys; the smash hit Broadway musical of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
- Joe Long remains is the only member of the Four Seasons not inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Committee to induct Joe Long to the Rock & Roll HOF.
- The Four Seasons on The Ed Sullivan Show 1965
- The Four Seasons Live Show 1966
Categories: Articles lacking sources from January 2007 | All articles lacking sources | Articles lacking sources from December 2006 | 1960s music groups | 1970s music groups | American musical groups | Musical groups established in 1961 | New Jersey musicians | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees | Rock music groups
