Biography of The Four Seasons

The Four Seasons were the most successful male vocal group of the rock era. Although the personnel has changed through the years (especially after the '60s), the group has nearly always been a platform for the singing of Frankie Valli (b.May 3, 1937). It was formed in Newark, NJ, in 1956, first as the Variatones and then as the Four Lovers, and featured Valli, brothers Tommy and Nick DeVito, and Hank Majewski. Under that name and with that lineup, they scored their first, minor hit, "You're the Apple of My Eye."Over the next five years, the Four Lovers became the Four Seasons, songwriter Bob Gaudio replaced Nick DeVito, Nick Massi replaced Hank Majewski, and the group began working with producer Bob Crewe. With this team -- Valli singing lead, Gaudio and Crewe writing songs, and Crewe producing, plus Charlie Callelo arranging -- the Four Seasons launched a series of teen-oriented hits in 1962 with the chart-topper "Sherry." The hits continued long into the Beatles era, totaling 13 Top Tens among 34 chart entries by the end of 1967. Valli also launched a solo career and had his own hits.After more personnel changes, the group's career seemed to take a backseat to Valli's in the early '70s, though they came back in a multiple-lead-singer format for another series of hits in the mid-'70s. ~ William Ruhlmann