Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons Fun Facts

The Four Lovers playing 'You’re the Apple of My Eye' on The Ed Sullivan Show 1956.

• Originally known as The Four Lovers and having moderate success, it was Joe Pesci (yes that Joe Pesci) who would introduce Frankie to Bob Gaudio, a piano-playing, song-writing prodigy and former member of the Royal Teens. The group was now complete and they changed their name to The Four Seasons, taking the name from the lounge attached to a bowling alley in Union NJ.

• Frankie grew up in a very tough public housing project, Stephen Crane Village in Newark where, according to Tommy DeVito, "There was only three ways out: You could join the army. You could get mobbed up. Or you could become a star."

• Frankie's real name was Francis Castelluccio, but he realized this was a bit too long for a marquee. He changed it to Frankie Valley, influenced by friend and fellow performer Texas Jean Valley. He would soon change it one more time "Italianizing it" and finally settling on Frankie Valli.

• At age seven Frankie's mother took him to Paramount Theatre in NYC to see Frank Sinatra. It was at that performance when Frankie knew what he wanted to do, he wanted to become a successful singer.

• Billy Joel drew inspiration from Frankie and The Four Seasons. He wrote 'Uptown Girl' as a flip-side follow up story to their hit 'Rag Doll'. The song Rag Doll was inspired when a dirty faced girl wiped Bob Gaudio's windshield for a tip. When he reached in his wallet he discovered all he had was a $20 so he gave it to her which was a huge tip in 1964. Her astonishment and gratitude stuck with Gaudio who with the help of Bob Crew quickly penned the lyrics for their next big hit.

• From 1962 - 1978 Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons Sold over 100 Million Records.