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Frankie Valli Bio
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Four Seasons Bios
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Frankie Valli…A true American pop music icon. His
incredible career as a solo artist and with the Four Seasons has produced 19 top
ten hits and sold over 100 million records world wide. He was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and named longevity champ of the rock era by
Billboard Magazine.
Possessed of one of the most distinctive voices in all of
Rock and Roll, Frankie 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, Frankie 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."
Frankie Valli's earliest performances were informal affairs; he sang doo-wop
to passers-by on Newark street corners. In the early fifties, Frankie 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 the Frankie 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 lifelong handshake partnership has been the subject of
articles in Money Magazine and US New & 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 Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons into rock and roll
superstardom. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced almost the entire four
Seasons catalogue with heavy involvement by Bob Crewe.
With "Sherry," the Four Seasons had crystallized a distinctive
musical style…the popular doo-wop music of the 1950's inflected with the
rhythm and blues influences that would come to define much of the music of the
1960's. With Frankie’s dazzling falsetto as its trademark, the Four Season's
sound would become one of the most enduring in all of rock and roll.
At their peak, the
Four Seasons made recordings that expressed the
tough-but-tender sensibility of their home turf in the Northeast much in the way
the
Beach Boys encapsulated the world of Southern
California in harmony and song. In the words of Billy
Joel, a longtime fan who grew up listening to them
on Long Island, "The Four Seasons had wonderful chord progressions,
beautiful writing, terrific production and fantastic harmony, records that
really spoke to us."
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 and roll classics. As the Four Seasons were working to perfect and
expand their style, a rock and 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 in which the Beatles dominated the charts.
While remaining steadfastly devoted to the Four Seasons, Frankie 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 of 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 Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons continued to tour
extensively, playing to packed houses throughout the United States, Europe and
Asia.
In 1974 Frankie 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 3 weeks. Frankie scored another megahit in 1978,
with the title track of the best-selling "Grease" soundtrack.
More recently, "December, '63 (Oh, What a Night)" appeared on the
soundtrack to Forest Gump, and re-entered the singles chart. Owing to its second
lease on life, it became the longest-charting single in history with fifty total
weeks.
Frankie 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 and roll's most enduring performers.
* Solo Records
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Year |
Position |
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1953 |
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* |
My Mother's Eyes |
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1962 |
1 |
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Sherry |
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1962 |
1 |
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Big Girls Don't Cry |
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1962 |
23 |
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Santa Claus Is Coming To Town |
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1963 |
1 |
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Walk Like a Man |
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1963 |
22 |
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Ain't That a Shame |
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1963 |
77 |
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Soon I'll Be Home Again |
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1963 |
3 |
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Candy Girl |
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1963 |
36 |
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Marlena |
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1963 |
36 |
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New Mexican Rose |
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1963 |
88 |
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That's The Only Way |
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1964 |
16 |
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Stay |
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1964 |
28 |
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Alone |
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1964 |
75 |
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Sincerely |
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1964 |
3 |
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Dawn |
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1964 |
6 |
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Ronnie |
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1964 |
1 |
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Rag Doll |
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1964 |
10 |
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Save It For Me |
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1964 |
20 |
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Big Man In Town |
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1965 |
60 |
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Little Boy in Grown Up Clothes |
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1965 |
12 |
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Bye Bye Baby |
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1965 |
64 |
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Toy Soldier |
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1965 |
30 |
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Girl Come Running |
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1965 |
3 |
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Let's Hang On |
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1966 |
9 |
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Working My Way Back To You |
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1966 |
13 |
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Opus 17 |
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1966 |
9 |
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I've Got you Under My Skin |
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1966 |
39 |
* |
You're Gonna Hurt Yourself |
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1966 |
68 |
* |
The Proud One |
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1966 |
10 |
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Tell It To The Rain |
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1967 |
16 |
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Beggin |
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1967 |
2 |
* |
Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You |
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1967 |
18 |
* |
I Make a Fool Of Myself |
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1967 |
29 |
* |
To Give (The Reason To Live) |
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1967 |
9 |
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C'mon Marianne |
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1967 |
30 |
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Watch the Flowers Grow |
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1968 |
24 |
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Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow |
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1969 |
61 |
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Electric Stories |
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1969 |
52 |
* |
The Girl I'll Never Know |
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1969 |
95 |
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Idaho |
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1969 |
98 |
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Somethin's On Her Mind |
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1969 |
45 |
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And That Reminds Me |
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1970 |
94 |
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Patch Of Blue |
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1974 |
1 |
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My Eye's Adored You |
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1975 |
6 |
* |
Swearin To God |
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1975 |
11 |
* |
Our Day Will Come |
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1975 |
3 |
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Who Loves You |
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1976 |
1 |
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December '63 (Oh What A Night) |
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1976 |
36 |
* |
Fallen Angel |
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1976 |
78 |
* |
We're All Alone |
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1978 |
1 |
* |
Grease |
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1994 |
11 |
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December '63 (Oh What A Night) |
Truly authoritative article about The Four Seasons by Richard Corliss -www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1134674,00.html
Wikipedia Page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Valli
Jersey Boys Web Site - www.jerseyboysbroadway.com
Jersey Boys Blog - www.jerseyboysblog.com/
Four Seasons Fan Site - Press Page - http://genuine-imitation-life-gazette.com/articles.html
Robby Robinson - Music Director -
Keyboards
Arranged
for:
Liza Minnelli, Frankie Valli, The Beach Boys,
Connie Francis, Buddy Greco, Dorothy Hammill
& Ice Capades, Jim Stafford, Phil Driscoll,
Ronnie Spector, Martha Reeves, Darlene Love,
Denny Correll, Lisa Mordente, The Ventures, The
Atlanta Symphony, The Dallas Symphony, The
Illinois Symphony, New Jersey Symphony,
Rochester Philharmonic, Simi Valley Orchestra,
Pacific Symphony, Don Menza, Greg Guidry
Musical Conductor for:
Frankie Valli, Buddy Greco, Del Shannon, The
Drifters, The Coasters, Tommy Leonetti, Steve
March, Darlene Love, The Ventures, The Atl\anta
Symphony, The Dallas Symphony, The Illinois
Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Rochester
Philharmonic, Simi Valley Orchestra, Hershey
Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Connie Stevens, Tom
Dreesen, Nick Noble
Played Keyboards for:
Tom Jones, Liza Minnelli, The Commodores, Cheryl
Ladd, Sha Na Na, Steven Stills, Charles Calello,
Bob Gaudio, Johnny Harris, Harvey Fuqua, Jack
Daugherty, Bob Crewe, Jacksonville Symphony
Orchestra, Richie Cole, Eddie Harris, Alex Acuna,
Bennie Maupin, Gavin Christopher, John
B.Williams, Phil Driscoll, Richie Fagan, Frankie
Avalon, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Willie
Bobo, Alphonse Mouzon, Morris Albert, The Mills
Brothers, Brian Hyland, The Platters, Emmett
Chapman, Mamie Van Doran, The Four Tops, Paul
Revere & the Raiders, Lou Christy, David
Foster, Mike Pinera, Del Shannon, The Ink
Spots, Peaches & Herb, Joe Houston, Albert
King, Eddie Jefferson, Ernie Watts,
Miroslav Vitous, Deniece Williams, Delfonics, Al
Wilson, Manhattans, Major Harris, The Friends of
Distinction, Gene Chandler, Barbara Mason, The
Turtles
Records & CDs:
Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Steve
Kipner, Liza Minnelli, Alphonse Mouzon, Cheryl
Ladd, Buddy Greco, Crystal Lewis, Bob Gaudio,
Charles Calello, Bob Crewe, Les DeMerle, Steve
March, Pieces, David Soul, Lloyd Lindroth, Kenny
Nolan, Johnny Harris, Edwin Starr, Davey Allan
& the Arrows,Wanda Lou Bautts, Jane Edwards,
The Cosmetics, Bruce Stewart, Raven Bleu, Bull
Parks, Jack Daugherty, The Ventures, Virginia
Keene, Teddy Phillips, Dick Contino, The Waters
Family, G.Q, Hermine, Flakes, Kim Fowley, The
Supremes, Mandie Pinto, Denny Correll, Dave
Kurcz, Concordia Publishing House, Jeffrey
David, Barbara Lewis, Jimi Hendrix Live,
Florence LaRue, Deniece Williams
Landon Beard - Singer Dancer
Landon Beard began his performing career at
three years old as a soloist for a Kodak
commercial. He comes from a family of
professional musicians who allowed him to
further his talents and knowledge. From the age
of three he has spent many hours in the studio,
recording numerous television and radio
commercials. He grew up in San Diego, California
where he continued his work in the recording
studio and on the stage. He has since earned a
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theatre
from Cal State University, Fullerton. Shortly
after his 2001 graduation, Landon appeared in
the Hollywood Bowl's Show Boat and The Great
American Concert. He has performed across the
United States with various theatrical
productions and vocal groups, and his voice can
be heard around the country, advertising for
such companies as Toyota, NBC, Warner Bros,
Pepsi, and Disney. Landon is enjoying life
touring with Frankie Valli as one of The Four
Seasons. www.myspace.com/dooner5
Brian Brigham - Singer Dancer -
Brian
is very blessed to be apart of Rock
& Roll history as one of the FOUR
SEASONS alongside the legendary Frankie
Valli! Brian has had the chance
to perform for and alongside such artists as Faith
Hill, Pat
Benatar, The
Beach Boys, Phil
Collins, Eric
Benet, Jay Leno, Bill
Cosby, Manhattan
Transfer, and Melissa
Manchester to name a few.
Film/TV
appearances include a recurring role on General
Hospital, Pirates
of the Caribbean "At
Worlds End", Boston
Legal, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Bold
& The Beautiful, singing backup vocals on
the season
finale of America's
Got Talent, and The Donny
& Marie Show. Voice Over/Session
Singing credits include CBS, ABC, NBC,
Disney and most recently, "Night At The
Museum 2: Battle
Of The Smithsonian". Brian
has starred in several musical
theatre productions including The
Broadway National Touring Company of
"SATURDAY
NIGHT FEVER", "GREASE",
"JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR
DREAMCOAT", and most notably, "JESUS
CHRIST SUPERSTAR" with Jack
Black, Ben
Vereen and original
motion picture stars, Ted
Neeley, Barry
Dennen, and Yvonne
Elliman. www.myspace.com/brianbrigham
Todd Fournier - Singer Dancer - Todd
has been singing with Frankie Valli as one of
the Four Seasons on and off for the past six
years. National Tours: Jesus Christ Superstar (Simon)(Judas
U/S) Regional: Aida(Radames), It Came From
Beyond(Steve){Ovation Nominee}, Pilgrim(Carel/TinkerU/S)
Grease (Danny Zuko)(Teen Angel, Johnny Casino),
The Creation, Scarlet Pimpernel, Miss Saigon,
Godspell, Oklahoma, Chorus Line, Singin’ in
the Rain, and 42nd Street. Television: Wicked
Wicked Games, Days of Our Lives, Port Charles,
General Hospital, JAG and Home Improvement. www.toddfournier.com
Brandon Brigham - Singer Dancer - Brandon
has been entertaining since the age of 12. His
career began as young boy when his mother
would take him and his brother who also
performs along side him on stage as a Four
Season with Frankie Valli on family trips to
talent competitions. He then began singing in
the school choir, and right out of high school
was cast in several productions with The Walt
Disney Company and Universal Studios Corp. He
formed the boy band Synergy with friends and
the group began traveling around the world
performing for audiences in Hong Kong China,
Osaka Japan, and Tokyo Japan to a very large
fan base. He recently was seen on Jimmy
Kimmel live performing with Frankie Valli as
one of the Four Seasons and has been seen
throughout the greater Los Angeles area in
several Musical Theater Productions like
Brigadoon, The Pirates of Penzance, Footloose,
Smokey Joes Cafe to name just a few. In his
young career he has shared stages with such
great artists as Frankie Valli, The Beach
Boys, Pat Benatar, Melissa Manchester, Donny
and Marie Osmond to name a few.
"Traveling the states and performing for
thousands of sold out crowds has been a real
blessing and a great tool for my growth as an
artist. As my career continues I can only hope
to obtain such great success as the amazing
talents that came before me - Brandon Brigham.
We have only yet to see what talents this
bright young artist has to offer the world.
Brandon recently began producing his own song
compositions and is in the process of
recording an album.
Craig Pilo - Drums - L.A Session
drummer who’s credits include: Boston Legal,
Las Vegas, The Osborne’s, Sex in the City,
Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Sabrina the Teenage
Witch, Malcolm in the Middle as well as feature
films: Basic (Sony) and Dirty Dancing II Havana
Nights (Miramax). He graduated from the
University of North Texas College of Music with
a bachelors degree in music and has since played
with Maynard Ferguson, Player, Deniece Williams,
The
Red Elvises
, Heatwave, Greg Adams,
Billy Vera
and the Beaters,
Angela Carole Brown
, and most recently, Ronn Moss.
www.craigpilo.com
John Menzano - Bass - The 80’s and
early 90’s were filled with television
appearances, touring on the road, and
hibernating in the studio. John was a regular
member of John Stamos’ band on ABC’s comedy
“Full House”. He toured with Sheena Easton,
Three Dog Night, and Joshua Kadison. All the
while he honed his craft. In 1994, he got a call
from an old friend telling him that legendary
guitarist Peter White was looking for a bass
player. “Playing with Peter White really
opened so many doors for me. He is not selfish
with his band and has encouraged me to play with
others. In fact, he has recommended me to other
musicians. Through Peter, I met and toured with
Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum, James Ingram, Marc
Antoine, Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, and so many
more. I am grateful for all of the opportunities
I have been given”. www.johnmenzano.com
The next step for John was to put together
a CD of his own songs. “It has always been a
goal of mine. On the road, people would ask me
when I was releasing my CD. I thought, Why Not?
I believe the maturity I have reached with my
playing has given me the confidence to do this.
I am really excited too. This is definitely a
collaborative effort as I am calling on all of
my friends to give their input and play on the
tracks. Everyone has been so supportive of this
endeavor”.
On a personal note, John lives in
Valencia, CA with his wife, Alecia and their son
Nick and daughter Mia. “I feel blessed and I
thank God everyday for the gifts He has given
me--music, my wife, my son—life doesn’t get
better than this”.
John Schroeder - Guitar - John
Schroeder has been playing guitar and singing
since he was nine years old. He grew up
outside of Minneapolis (Minnesota) and moved to
Los Angeles at age 18. He plays many
styles of music and has performed alongside
artists such as Al Jarreau, Russ Freeman and The
Rippingtons, Eric Marienthal, Patrice
Rushen, Garrison Keillor, the Original Wailers
Band, Lettuce and the Steve Miller Band.
In addition to traveling and performing with
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, he is
finishing a Bachelor of Music degree in
Studio/Jazz Guitar from the University of
Southern California, as well as performing and
recording with various projects around LA.
In 2009 John released a CD with his own band,
Pinot (www.pinotfunk.com),
and toured the US to support the album. John
is delighted to be part of the Frankie Valli and
the Four Seasons show.
Eric Tewalt - Sax / Keyboards / Percussion
- Eric is originally from Indiana,
where he attended Ball State University gaining
a degree in Music Education. Eric now resides in
Las Vegas. When
not performing live with Frankie, Eric performs
regularly in the Las Vegas production of
‘Jersey Boys.’ In addition to playing shows
in Vegas, Eric still performs with artists such
as Toni Braxton, Sheena Easton, Michael
Cavanaugh, and Steve March-Torme. Other live
performance credits include Michael Feinstien,
Michael Buble, Ben Vereen, Martha Reeves, Tears
for Fears, and others.
Recording credits include dance artist
‘Kristine W.’ and European artists ‘Funk
This.’
In the near future, Eric
would like to start his own project. He sends
love to his wife and son Oliver! Also a big
thank you to Rex Walters and the Reunion band
for putting me on the right path many years
ago.
Robbie
Angelucci - Guitar - Robbie
Angelucci was born and raised in Lanciano,
a small town in the Abruzzo region of Italy
(by the Adriatic Sea). He started
playing guitar at the age of 11...at 19 he
moved to the states to attend the Musicians
institute in Hollywood. Since
then he has worked in the Los
Angeles music scene as a session
musician and toured extensively. He
worked on projects for national TV shows,
major movie trailers and soundtracks
including Barber Shop, The
Honeymooners and Roll Bounce.
Robbie has worked with some of the
finest artists in the world including;
Taylor Dayne, All for One, Wayne Brady,
Denny Seraphine from Chicago
Transit Authority, Vinnie
Colaiuta, John Baseley; Otmar Ruiz
and Zucchero.
In
2003, He recorded and released his
first solo
album as writer and producer, “A
Guy With An Accent”, which gained great
reviews by both European and U.S. press.
Recently he has started his own studio
facility and recording company, Moodys Tone
Productions. Aside from all of that he
also writes for Axe Guitar Magazine as a US
correspondent. Robbie joined Frankie
Valli and the Four Seasons in 2009.
He
endorses La Bella Strings, Seagull Acoustic
guitars, THD and Brunetti's
Amplifiers.
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