Comments on: Frankie Valli and 4 Seasons–Finally Getting Their Due!

By: Ted Hammond

Ted Hammond — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:58:34 +0000

I don’t mean to take over the thread, but I did find that WLS survey I had seen before. It shows “Dawn (Go Away)” debuting on the charts at #19 in its FOURTH WEEK OF AIRPLAY on the January 31, 1964 survey. This would put airplay on WLS back to the first week of January, 1964. Whether this was an advance demo copy or what, someone else would have to tell us.

http://www.users.qwest.net/~oldiesloon/wls013164.htm

And looking back at some links about Joey Reynolds’ career, after he left WTRX for east coast night powerhouse WKBW 1520 Buffalo in 1963, he did continue to program WTRX from Buffalo, so it is conceivable that a demo was sent to WTRX in late December, 1963, due to Reynolds long association with The Four Seasons and programming WTRX. I hope David and Howard and others may find this interesting.

By: Ted Hammond

Ted Hammond — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:30:17 +0000

I did a little more checking on Dawn(Go Away). Wikipedia, which is known for many errors, says the single was rejected by Atlantic in January, 1964 and released on Philips in February, 1964. If I can find the chart on line again, I think WLS had it as pick hit listed in January, and my recollection is that it was being played on WTRX in late December, 1963 (an intended but serious pun).

I wonder if there were some promo copies distributed to radio stations during that period between November 20, 1963 and the official release. I wonder if any Seasons insiders know, possibly Larry Santos. Joey Reynolds did work at WTRX as PD for two weeks somewhere during this era (according to his book), and Larry Santos was friends of people at this station and many others in the Detroit and Flint area after he moved to Michigan.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:28:05 +0000

This story was actually written by the guy from The Strip Podcast who did that great interview with Frankie a few months ago. I was reading this story and thinking, ‘I’ve heard these quotes somewhere’ and then I realized why!!!

By: Betsy

Betsy — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:23:46 +0000

Does anyone remember “The Plurals”from Newark,area in the late 50′s when Frankie&4s were still local?There were a lot of talent that came of NJ,but the 1st time I saw FV4S at the NY paramount singing Sherry,I was in love and 46 years later still am…They deserve everything they’ve gotten & more..

By: Ted Hammond

Ted Hammond — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:31:01 +0000

Anytime I have heard references to Billy Joel with “Uptown Girl”, it was that Billy was a fan of FV4S to some degree. Over the years, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys have praised FV4S in one way or another from what I have read. Didn’t Bob Gaudio say that The Beatles were at a Four Seasons concert at the Hammersmith circa 1963?

As far as The Bee Gees are concerned, the Brothers Gibb and the RSO promotion machine did help make “Grease” a platinum seller, tearing up the charts to #1, just as I had told somebody a few months earlier that I would not be surprised if Frankie Valli had another #1 hit. I had nothing to base this on except Frankie’s talent and drive.