The Hit Men Come to Harris Center, 6/8

It's not the cast from Jersey Boys. Not a Jersey Boys tribute show. Not a Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons cover band. Members of this amazing supergroup of musicians, vocalists, arrangers and composers actually were the Four Seasons who sang with Frankie Valli. They were the Shondells who sang with Tommy James. They are the authentic rock and rollers whose legacy includes hundreds of hit records from the 60s, 70s and 80s. They now call themselves The Hit Men and are bringing their famous sounds and energy to Harris Center for the Arts.

The Hit Men featuring Former Stars of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons will perform Sunday, June 8, 2014 at 2 & 7 pm. Tickets are priced at $25-$39; Premium $49. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 10 am to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

Remember Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro? They may not be household names now but back in the 70's, you bought all of their records. You heard them on the radio. Saw them on TV. Went to their concerts. So who are they? They're the former stars of the hit-making factory known as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. These guys toured the world with Frankie. Recorded numerous hit albums with him. And sang the lead vocals on songs like "Oh What a Night" - the biggest Seasons hit of all time. When they met in 1973, they were two boys from New Jersey barely out of their teens, and the Four Seasons hadn't had a charted hit record in years. Along with Valli and songwriter/ producer Bob Gaudio, Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro, they successfully transitioned the group's sound from '60s doo-wop to '70s pop with mega-hit songs like "Who Loves You" and "Oh What a Night," beloved hits that have been heard for generations and are woven into America's consciousness.

Spurred by the runaway success of Jersey Boys, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical based on the Four Seasons' career, these former Seasons, who are now in their late 50s and early 60s, decided to re-unite -- along with an A-list group of musicians who wrote, recorded and performed with Carly Simon, Cat Stevens, Elton John, Jim Croce, Chicago, Luther Vandross, The Ramones, Carole King, and other mega-star acts of the era -- and give touring one more shot.

Their show is an amazing look back through rock and roll history, including fascinating back stories of what it was like being on the road and in the recording studios with Frankie, Tommy, Carly, Cat, Jim and Elton. And, of course, there are all those amazing hits...with The Hit Men performing great songs from the Four Seasons songbook (from "Rag Doll," "Dawn," and "Walk Like a Man," to "Can't Take My Eyes Of You," "Marianne," and "Sherry"), plus other mega hits that members of The Hit Men helped make famous back in the day such as Cat Stevens' "Peace Train," Jim Croce's "Leroy Brown," Carly Simon's "You're So Vain," and Tommy James' "Mony Mony."

Says music director and former Four Seasons member Lee Shapiro, "This show is a chance for everyone to relive the glory days of rock and roll with a great group of guys who actually lived and breathed the experience. You'll walk out of the theatre exhilarated, excited and wanting more. We guarantee it."

When The Hit Men take the stage, it's easy to see why their music has transcended generations. The notes are sharp, the vocals spot-on, the energy is high, and these guys are having the time of their lives sharing their musical legacy with audiences everywhere!

SAME THREE STAGES, BRAND NEW NAME! Originally named Three Stages at Folsom Lake College in 2011, the facility has been renamed to honor Brice Harris, Chancellor Emeritus of the Los Rios Community College District, for his many contributions to the capital region, including the vision and leadership he provided in opening this regional arts center. Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College presents touring artists from around the world; partners with the best regional arts organizations, and supports productions by FLC students and faculty.

The Harris Center is a $50 million facility built with a combination of state, regional, local and private funds. Harris Center has three intimate theaters, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a state-of-the-art performing arts venue.

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