TNB Night Owl – Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

Hey, you and I both know that, here at TNB, the sixties just ain’t the most popular decade of the rock ‘n’ roll era. I get it, this is mostly a younger crowd that really hearts the seventies and eighties. That’s fine. But I would like to remind you that variety is the spice of life, so stick around and suck up some variety. At the very least, listen to the last two tracks (from 1975) and I’ll tell you why I chose to highlight The Four Seasons tonight.

It’s not just because they had dozens of Top 40 hit records in their prime. (Tonight’s list is trimmed way down to include mostly just Top 10 tracks… more or less.)

The group, sometimes billed as Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, but more often billed simply as The Four Seasons, was (and still is) actually just two guys, Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio, who from the beginning own all the rights to the band in a 50/50 split. Valli sang lead vocals on most of their songs, while Gaudio wrote most of them and played keyboards. The rest of the band members were not owners, and there have been many personnel changes over the years. Incredibly, except for a break from 1977 to 1979, the band has been active and touring since its formation in 1960. That’s six decades, people!

Gaudio, at 80 years old, has retired from active performing and touring, but Valli is still at it at 88 (born May 3, 1934) making him one of the oldest entertainers that still tours and performs. In the recent past, I was impressed to learn that Cliff Richard, born October 14, 1940 (age 82) and Henry Fambrough (of The Spinners) born May 10, 1938 (age 84) were also still touring.

That raises the question: is anyone older than Valli still active? Loretta Lynn came close, but quit in 2017 (about 85 years old) due to suffering a stroke and a broken hip, before passing away earlier this year at age 90.

Tony Bennet, born August 3, 1926 (now age 96) held the title of oldest performer still touring until he retired on August 12, 2021, at age 95. Little known fact: Bennet served in the US Army, 1944-1946, and saw heavy combat in Germany from January 1945 until V-E Day. At just eighteen years old, he narrowly avoided getting killed several times.

That leaves only one man older than Valli who is still performing and touring: Willie Nelson, born April 29, 1933 (age 89).

In recognition of their physical stamina and large legacy of hits, the Night Owl awards this playlist spotlight to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. [Insert fanfare here.]

1962 #1
Sherry (2:41)