The real life Jersey Boys aren’t slowing down. Following postponement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the ’60s era pop group whose rise to fame inspired the smash musical Jersey Boys have plenty of 2022 dates scheduled in the U.S., Canada and U.K., including two at Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

Valli was born as Francesco Castelluccio in Newark, NJ, on May 3, 1934.

Valli as a solo artist and with the Four Seasons had seven #1 pop hits:  “Sherry” (1962), “Big Girls Don’t Cry” (1962), “Walk Like a Man” (1963), “Rag Doll” (1964), “My Eyes Adored You” (1974), “December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)” (1975), to 1978’s title song to the movie Grease.

In between were such memorable songs as “Swearin’ to God,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Opus 17 (Don’t You Worry ‘Bout Me)” and “Dawn (Go Away).”

Valli’s commanding lead tenor voice led to an astounding 28 Top 20 singles in his remarkable career. He and three other original members of the Four Seasons – Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi – were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. (Gaudio was born in The Bronx, NY, and raised in Jersey.)

Related: DeVito died in 2020

Their peak occurred when the 45 rpm single was the preferred choice by record buyers so his album sales aren’t as big as pop stars of a later era. Even so, it’s estimated that the Four Seasons sold over 100 million records worldwide.

Related: Enjoy our Classic Video of The Deer Hunter bar scene set to a Valli hit

The Jersey Boys musical opened on Broadway in 2005 and earned four Tony Awards including Best Musical.

Watch Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons sing “Who Loves You” in 1975

Tickets to see Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons are available here and here.

Listen to Valli sing the title song from Grease