March 1, 2007

Frankie Valli Reflects on Long Career & JB

March 1st, 2007

Robert DiGiacomo of The Press of Atlantic City spoke with pop icon Frankie Valli prior to his sold out shows with the Four Seasons at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. Valli spoke about the Broadway megahit Jersey Boys, his range as a pop singer, and how he keeps his chops in shape after some 50 years as a performer.

RD: How does it feel to see an actor playing you on stage?

FV: It was a little strange — I wasn’t quite used to it, and I wasn’t sure about it. Being in the business for as long as I’ve been in, I do understand when someone is portraying a character — whether it’s a movie or a play — everyone would portray the character a little differently.

RD: Did you have a final say on the musical’s book?

FV: Each of us were interviewed by the writers, but nobody knew what the real outcome was going to be. The writers deserve the credit for the way they put it together. The fact that it comes from four different points of view is very unique.

RD: Your music goes from the doo-wop era to early ’60s rock to disco. Were your stylistic changes by design or more accidental?

FV: I never felt that a capable singer should stay in one bag, and I have a thing for all kinds of music. If a country song came along, I would do it.

RD: But you intended to be a jazz singer.

FV: My roots were not in being a pop singer — that’s not what I wanted. I started as a kid, listening to Sinatra and Nat Cole and Tony Bennett and Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. I was really leaning more towards wanting to sing jazz than pop

That’s what I really wanted. As hard as I tried, it just wasn’t happening. I started doing pop songs. That was my first realization that all music was good. It depended on how it was done — it depended if it was done tastefully.

RD: How do you keep your voice in shape after all these years?

FV: I sing every day. It’s like weightlifting or exercising. If you stop exercising for two months, you start getting flabby. To sing between a half-hour and an hour every day, it’s not terribly hard to do. I like to do it when I’m taking a shower.

RD: You’ve never had any formal training?

FV: I’ve never been to a vocal coach and seen any gold records on their wall. They can teach you the basics, but no one can teach you how to interpret. That comes from the soul of a man or a woman.

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