December 24, 2014

A Salute to the Late, Great Nick Massi (September 19, 1927-December 24, 2000)

December 24th, 2014

frankie-valli-big-girls-steve-allen-show-2-14-1963-107 (1)
Nick Massi with his fellow Four Seasons, Steve Allen Show, 1963

Fourteen years ago today, Nick Massi, the amazing bassist, bass singer and vocal arranger for The Four Seasons passed away. As Frankie Valli states in the final scene in JERSEY BOYS, “And now he’s gone. God rest him. He died Christmas Eve, 2000. I mean, for a Catholic, is that style or what?”

Thanks to JERSEY BOYS on stage and in the 2014 movie, the world has gotten to know more about Mr. Massi’s amazing talents, including his phenomenal vocal arranging, his distinct bass vocals, and of course his bass playing.

In 2000, Frankie Valli and Bob Crewe praised Nick Massi’s musical genius. “He could do four-part modern harmonies that would amaze musicians who had studied for years,” Valli told the Star-Ledger. “And he did it all in his head without writing it down.”

“In the voice department, there was no one like Nick,” longtime Four Seasons producer Bob Crewe told the paper. “He had that wonderful big booming sound. He was one of the most informed musicians I’ve ever worked with, with an innate sense of how things worked together.”

Nick, we will always remember you!

Nick Massi as a member of The Four Lovers, circa mid-late 1950s.

Nick Massi as a member of The Four Lovers, circa mid-late 1950s.

1 Comment »

  1. Nick was a really great person very talented. He lived downstairs from my aunt and i used to see him a lot before i became a road manager with the Four Seasons. Great talent and a better person.

    Comment by Vinnie Zollo — December 27, 2014 @ 6:22 pm

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