The Musicians of New Jersey: Frankie Valli

While going through a pile of old magazines to donate to a good cause, I happened upon a 2007 copy of New Jersey Monthly magazine dedicated to the musicians of NJ. This prompted me to write this series and pay tribute to the wonderful music and musicians behind it.
Francis Stephen Castelluccio, better known as Frankie Valli has come a long way from his childhood in Newark, New Jersey in the Crane Village public housing project. Although he no longer lives in New Jersey, his home in Calabasas, California is landscaped with trees that lose their leaves in the colder weather just because he missed the change of seasons. He grew up with a father who gave no encouragement one way or another to his children. His aim is to now be the total opposite of what he grew up to know. He tells his kids he loves them several times a day.
Well into his 70's, Valli and his compatriot from the "Four Seasons" Bob Gaudio own the publishing rights and master recordings of the "Four Seasons." Together they have amassed a fortune from those rights because of "Jersey Boys." If you have not seen "Jersey Boys" you owe it to yourself to see this fabulous production that plays all over the world.
As a youngster, all he wanted to do was sing, and to look good at the same time. He grew up in the midst of gangsters; but knew he never wanted to be owned by anyone. He did however, emulate their style of dress. He could have gone in the wrong direction and as a teenager was arrested for breaking and entering. He got a good beating from the cops and when his parents came to get him; he saw his father cry for the first time in his life. That was all he needed to stay on the straight and narrow and singing was all he cared about from then on.
The first hit from "The Four Seasons" was "Sherry" in 1962 and from then on the hits kept coming you see some old footage and hear some classics here.. Fortunately until the release of "Jersey Boys" nobody knew of the arrest records and mob dealings with some members of the group and especially of the death of Valli's daughter to a drug overdose. But now he is able to face his demons and live a comfortable life in the twilight of his years. Sing on Frankie!!!

Sources:
http://njmonthly.com/