Singer Frankie Valli Peter Kramer/Getty Images
"Jersey Boys" tells the life story of "Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons." It was 1962 when "Sherry Baby" catapulted to number one on the charts.
It was the first big hit of many for the Four Seasons, a group that seemingly came out of nowhere, but they were far from an overnight sensation.
For Valli, who was the lead singer, that 1962 hit came more than a decade after he had launched his singing career.
It was early on in his career that he came to Pittsburgh to play at the Hollywood Show Bar.
"The Hollywood Show Bar was really for beginners, so that was my first experience," he says. "It was a wonderful experience. I couldn't have been more than 16, 17-years-old."
But times were tough as he struggled to make it in entertainment field. He got married, had children and was faced with supporting his family.
"I went to school to become a hairdresser. But once I left school, I realized very quickly that that was not what I wanted to do," he said.
So he says he went back to singing and became the key part of what was to become one of the most prolific pop bands in the '60s and '70s. Just months after "Sherry Baby" took the music scene by storm, the Four Seasons hit it big a second time.
The hardest part was the first three records that we released were all number one and the fourth one was number three and I thought it was over, already," Valli said.
But it was far from over as the Four Seasons became unique.
"We had established a sound that really belonged to us," said Valli. "People knew immediately who we were when you heard a record on the radio."
But how Valli and the Four Seasons lived their lives is something that has packed them in on Broadway and around the country.
"I like to go in every now and again and not let them know I'm there and just listen. I think it's terrific," said Valli of the show 'Jersey Boys.'
"It's been incredible, it really has," he adds. "I never dreamed in a million years it would be as big as it is."
Valli has 86 concerts scheduled for this year and more will probably be added.
© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc.
May 7, 2009
USA: A True Legend Performs
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PITTSBURGH / KDKA TV / May 7, 2009
Too often it seems the word legend is used to describe someone. But on Wednesday night, a true legend performed before a sold out Heinz Hall. What makes it remarkable is this legend is 75-years-old and is still one of the hottest acts around.
Singer Frankie Valli Peter Kramer/Getty Images
"Jersey Boys" tells the life story of "Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons." It was 1962 when "Sherry Baby" catapulted to number one on the charts.
It was the first big hit of many for the Four Seasons, a group that seemingly came out of nowhere, but they were far from an overnight sensation.
For Valli, who was the lead singer, that 1962 hit came more than a decade after he had launched his singing career.
It was early on in his career that he came to Pittsburgh to play at the Hollywood Show Bar.
"The Hollywood Show Bar was really for beginners, so that was my first experience," he says. "It was a wonderful experience. I couldn't have been more than 16, 17-years-old."
But times were tough as he struggled to make it in entertainment field. He got married, had children and was faced with supporting his family.
"I went to school to become a hairdresser. But once I left school, I realized very quickly that that was not what I wanted to do," he said.
So he says he went back to singing and became the key part of what was to become one of the most prolific pop bands in the '60s and '70s. Just months after "Sherry Baby" took the music scene by storm, the Four Seasons hit it big a second time.
The hardest part was the first three records that we released were all number one and the fourth one was number three and I thought it was over, already," Valli said.
But it was far from over as the Four Seasons became unique.
"We had established a sound that really belonged to us," said Valli. "People knew immediately who we were when you heard a record on the radio."
But how Valli and the Four Seasons lived their lives is something that has packed them in on Broadway and around the country.
"I like to go in every now and again and not let them know I'm there and just listen. I think it's terrific," said Valli of the show 'Jersey Boys.'
"It's been incredible, it really has," he adds. "I never dreamed in a million years it would be as big as it is."
Valli has 86 concerts scheduled for this year and more will probably be added.
© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc.
Singer Frankie Valli Peter Kramer/Getty Images
"Jersey Boys" tells the life story of "Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons." It was 1962 when "Sherry Baby" catapulted to number one on the charts.
It was the first big hit of many for the Four Seasons, a group that seemingly came out of nowhere, but they were far from an overnight sensation.
For Valli, who was the lead singer, that 1962 hit came more than a decade after he had launched his singing career.
It was early on in his career that he came to Pittsburgh to play at the Hollywood Show Bar.
"The Hollywood Show Bar was really for beginners, so that was my first experience," he says. "It was a wonderful experience. I couldn't have been more than 16, 17-years-old."
But times were tough as he struggled to make it in entertainment field. He got married, had children and was faced with supporting his family.
"I went to school to become a hairdresser. But once I left school, I realized very quickly that that was not what I wanted to do," he said.
So he says he went back to singing and became the key part of what was to become one of the most prolific pop bands in the '60s and '70s. Just months after "Sherry Baby" took the music scene by storm, the Four Seasons hit it big a second time.
The hardest part was the first three records that we released were all number one and the fourth one was number three and I thought it was over, already," Valli said.
But it was far from over as the Four Seasons became unique.
"We had established a sound that really belonged to us," said Valli. "People knew immediately who we were when you heard a record on the radio."
But how Valli and the Four Seasons lived their lives is something that has packed them in on Broadway and around the country.
"I like to go in every now and again and not let them know I'm there and just listen. I think it's terrific," said Valli of the show 'Jersey Boys.'
"It's been incredible, it really has," he adds. "I never dreamed in a million years it would be as big as it is."
Valli has 86 concerts scheduled for this year and more will probably be added.
© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc.
