Frankie Valli and the Real Jersey Boys return to OCPAC Jan. 2, 2010

Press release:

COSTA MESA, CA – It's "Just to Good to be True!" The true-life inspiration for the hit musical Jersey Boys, Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons make a return visit to the Orange County Performing Arts Center on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. in Segerstrom Hall for an evening full of classic hits such as "My Eyes Adored You" and "December '63 (Oh, What a Night)." Valli's incredible career as a solo artist and with The Four Seasons has produced 19 Top 10 hits and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was named longevity champ of the rock era by Billboard magazine.

About Frankie Valli
Possessed of one of the most distinctive voices in all of rock 'n' roll, Valli continues to dazzle. Inspired by fellow New Jersey native Frank Sinatra and such jazz influences as The Hi-Lo's and the Four Freshman, Valli always knew he wanted to perform. "We used to sing around the Newark area where I grew up." Valli recalls. "I'd always wanted to be a singer, ever since my mother took me to see Sinatra at the Paramount Theatre in New York as a kid. I decided then and there that's what I was going to do…be a successful singer."

Valli's earliest performances were informal affairs; he sang doo-wop to passers-by on Newark street corners. In the early fifties, Valli joined Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito in performing with their Variety Trio. The group later signed Valli on as a full member and began making a name for themselves while touring the East Coast. Around that time Valli and the group began an association with songwriter Bob Gaudio. That relationship has continued for nearly forty years, and Gaudio remains an integral part of Frankie Valli's career. Their life-long handshake partnership has been the subject of articles in Money Magazine and US News & World Report.

In 1962 Gaudio wrote a song called "Sherry." It was written in about 15 minutes. "Sherry" was released in the summer and moved slowly until the group performed on American Bandstand.... "Sherry" sold 200,000 copies the next day, catapulting Valli and The Four Seasons into rock 'n' roll superstardom. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced almost the entire Four Seasons catalogue with heavy involvement by Bob Crewe.

Over the next few years The Four Seasons followed "Sherry" with such unforgettable original songs as "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Walk Like a Man," "Candy Girl" and "Rag Doll," all of which became rock 'n' roll classics. As The Four Seasons were working to perfect and expand their style, a rock 'n' roll revolution was brewing. In 1964, the Beatles came onto the American music scene, leading a British Invasion that would decimate the careers of scores of American pop music acts. The Four Seasons not only survived the invasion but continued to thrive; they had three top five hits during 1964, a year that the Beatles dominated the charts.

While remaining steadfastly devoted to The Four Seasons, Valli decided to branch out with his own solo record. In 1966, he scored a Top 40 hit with "You're Gonna Hurt Yourself." That same year The Four Seasons reached the number three spot on the pop charts with "Let's Hang On." The year 1967 saw Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" rise to number two, while "I Make A Fool of Myself" and "To Give (the Reason I Live)" both became Top 40 hits; The Four Season's also had three Top 40 entries that year, including the gold-selling "C'Mon Marianne." For the next several years, Valli and The Four Seasons continued to tour extensively, playing to packed houses throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.

In 1974 Valli was back on top of the charts, going platinum with the bittersweet ballad "My Eyes Adored You." "Swearin' to God," with its disco beat and contemporary sensibilities went gold, climbing to number six in 1975. That same year "Our Day Will Come" reached No. 11 on the charts. In March of 1976 "December, '63 (Oh, What a Night)" climbed to No. 1 staying at the top for three weeks. Valli scored another megahit in 1978, with the title track of the best-selling Grease film soundtrack. More recently, "December, '63 (Oh, What a Night)" appeared on the soundtrack to Forrest Gump, and re-entered the singles chart. Owing to its second lease on life, it became the longest-charting single in history with 50 weeks total.

Valli has continued to woo audiences throughout the world both with his recordings and live performances for almost four decades, truly making him one of rock 'n' roll's most enduring performers.

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Tickets for Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons go on sale Sunday, November 15 and will be $49 – $89. They will be available at the Center's Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, by calling 714.556.2787 or online at OCPAC.org. For inquiries about group ticket discounts, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236. The TTY number is 714.556.2746.

For more information, visit OCPAC.org. The Center can also be found online at Blogger, YouTube,
Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Flickr.

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