Good News Tucson - A Family Values Publication

Before The Invasion

By Travis Kelly

More than 50 years ago the Blues had a baby and they named it Rock 'n' Roll. Some would say that the Blues and Country music got together and spawned Rock and Roll. After the R&B single "Rocket 88" hit the charts, the world knew that rock and roll was here to stay.

The 1950's brought us Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino and many more. As the decade of the 50's came to a close, a new kind of Rock and Roll would soon dominate the charts. A sound could be heard on the radio that pre-dates the Beach Boys, Motown, and even the British Invasion. Before the Beatles, Animals and Stones came to America, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons where topping the charts.

The Four Seasons have sold over 100 million albums and are the most successful white doo wop group of all time. They have been recording and touring for over forty-five years. In 1962 "Sherry" became their first number 1 hit. The Four Seasons viewed the Beach Boys as their only American competition. Two years later the Beatles would invade America. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons survived. The hits just kept climbing the charts. Soda Shop tunes of the early 60's dominated the radio. "Big Girls Don't Cry", "Walk like a Man", and "Rag Doll" were played into history during the pre-psychedelic era of the 1960's. The year 1964 brought the Four Seasons six top twenty hits.

1977 saw the group briefly break up for a three year period. Sixteen years after "Sherry" hit number one, the song "Grease" went number one in 1978 for a solo Frankie Valli. The Four Seasons reunited in 1980 and were inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame in 1990. Today they are as popular as ever and the crowds flock to see them. Baby Boomers in cities through out the states drag their children and grandchildren to see the sound of their youth.

Frankie Valli will be here in Tucson on October 12th, 2007.

It's your chance to see a legend, a hall of fame inductee, and one of the most talented vocalists still in music today. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons survived the British Invasion and gave listeners a sound that defined an era and formed a great chapter of music born here in the U.S. of A.