String of hits led to solo success

Mar 9 2008 by Caroline Smith, Sunday Sun

FRANKIE VALLI — born Francis Stephen Castellucio in 1934 — rose to fame in the 1960s through his involvement in the US music scene.

Although most famous for fronting The Four Seasons, Frankie also had a successful solo career, during which he produced nine Top 40 hits. One of them, the title song for “Grease”, written by Barry Gibb, peaked at number one and went platinum in 1978.

The Four Seasons, who formed in New Jersey in 1960, started their string of successful singles with Sherry Baby in 1962, followed by another 29 Top 40 hits. The group disbanded in 1979 and Frankie continued with a number of solo projects before they reformed again in 1981.

In addition to singing, Frankie also acted, appearing in the films Dirty Laundry, Eternity, Modern Love, and Opposite Corners.

And he took on the role of mobster Rusty Millio in the hit TV gangster series The Sopranos.

He has also been name checked in the show. Its lead character Tony Soprano boasted that he and Frankie Valli used the same florist, while the mother of a Sopranos character died after a night out to Jersey Boys.