Frankie Valli: His Rough Road to the Top and the Success of Jersey Boys
July 19th, 2009The Boston Globe has posted Megan Tench’s recent interview with pop icon Frankie Valli, who talks about his humble beginnings on the tough streets of New Jersey, The Four Seasons’ rise to fame, and seeing his successful and sometimes tragic life unfold on stage in the Tony Award-winning hit JERSEY BOYS.
Regarding the phenomenal success of JERSEY BOYS, Valli states,
“I had no idea this show was going to be as successful as it is. No idea at all.’’
It isn’t easy for Valli to see his life unfold onstage, from the famous handshake with Gaudio that sealed their business partnership to the tragic death of his stepdaughter Celia in a 1980 car accident and, six months later, the fatal drug overdose of his daughter, Francine, a student – a wrenching moment portrayed in the show that still gives him pause.
“We decided early on that if we were gonna do this, tell the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, we were gonna have to tell the truth – the whole truth – or it isn’t our story,’’ Valli says.
He didn’t always feel that way. “In the early years we were scared to death someone would find out and record companies would drop us and radio stations wouldn’t play us,’’ Valli says. “Someone would find out all the things that occurred in our lives. I mean guys went to jail, and there were robberies, gambling, all this stuff.’’
Read Tench’s full interview with Valli on Boston.com.
Loved the Frankie Valli interview. I could feel his energy coming through. He really is a dynamite guy in every sense of the word. Those Bostonians are in for a REAL treat when the show hits town. Don’t miss it Boston!
Comment by Zanna — July 20, 2009 @ 2:30 pm