Frankie Valli to Return to Playhouse Square, 4/30-5/1

With his three-and-a-half-octave vocal range, over 100 million records sold and a multi-decade career (including a four-time, Tony-winning Jersey Boys biographical Broadway musical and feature film), the iconic Frankie Valli, along with The Four Seasons, demonstrate why they are still the hottest ticket in town. Because their past five Playhouse Square shows have been sellouts, the Rock Hall of Fame inductees have added a performance this year, playing the Connor Palace Sat., April 30 & Sun. May 1, both at 7:30 pm.

The "Jersey Boy"--who segued from Francis Stephen Castelluccio to Frankie "Valley" before finally becoming lead singer as Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons-- even finds that a new concert demographic, comprised of younger generations, now fills their audiences.

Possessed with one of the most distinctive voices in rock 'n' roll, Valli has become a true American pop music icon, continuing to sing in the rare air of artists who have enjoyed hits in each of five decades! In addition to the millions of "music" fans worldwide, Valli can also brag millions of "TV" viewers, as the singer's alter ego, "Rusty Millio," displayed his acting talents in the hit series the Sopranos.

Crystallizing a distinctive musical style, Frankie Valli's ultra-falsetto, coupled with the tight doo-wop harmonies of The Four Seasons (originally with singer/songwriter Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi) provided the perfect alchemy to produce an impressive list of gold and platinum records.

Valli's dream of being a successful singer was a road followed from the time his mother took him as a small child to see fellow Jersey native Frank Sinatra perform. The youngster began doo-wopping on neighborhood corners before creating a trio with Massi and DeVito. When the threesome met songwriter Bob Gaudio their lucky charm had arrived! Gaudio proceeded to write the hit "Sherry" in a mere 15 minutes and would be the prolific writer/co-writer of the group's music catalog, as well as making the trio into a quartet.

(A rarity in the music world, the lifelong handshake partnership between Valli and Gaudio became the subject of articles in Money Magazine and US News & World Report.)So while The Beach Boys were the "catch-a-wave" voice of the West Coast, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons would become the gritty harmonies epitomizing the blue-collar East Coast, producing hit after hit.

Even during the British Invasion years-which translated to career death for many American music groups-Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons not only survived but managed to thrive. By 1990, when they were voted into the Rock Hall of Fame, the quartet had 19 Top Ten hits to their credit, plus an impressive number of additional charted singles.

So today, concert-goers to a Valli & The Four Seasons show are bombarded by hits: "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like A Man," "Candy Girl," "Dawn," "Ronnie," "Rag Doll," "Bye Bye Baby," "Let's Hang On," "Opus 17," "Working My Way Back to You," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "My Eyes Adored You" plus too many more to list.

But then there are the "solo" songs made famous by Valli adding to the concert repertoire: the #1 hit "Grease," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," "Swearin' to God" and "Our Day Will Come."

Another Valli & The Four Seasons #1 hit that always brings the crowd to its feet is "December '63 (Oh What A Night)"...a song that enjoys the distinction of becoming "the longest-charted single in record history" because of a double lease on life.

Originally released in March 1976 (at which time it rose to #1), the song enjoyed a resurrection on the charts after it was featured on the film soundtrack of Forrest Gump. Even in its second go-round, the song managed to climb to #11.

(Tickets for Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons are $45, $55, $75 & $95, on sale at playhousesquare.org, 216-241-6000 and the Ticket Office.)

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