Once he had the surgery, he was pretty much OK. Back to Who Loves You, this was the dawn of a disco era. Nobody ever approached me and said, Are you interested in a solo deal? I dont know why. That was kind of weird. Gary James' Interview With The Four Seasons' Gerry Polci I worked four nights a week. His National popularity began with his joining The Four Seasons and being the co-founder of the group The Hit Men. Keep the names dropping, guys. I feel very good about that. Mr. Polci recalls the recording date in 1975 vividly. The comeback started with Frankies solo single My Eyes Adored You. Did you play drums on that?I did not. It came out in April. We decided to nurture it. It was an immediate hit in Scandinavia, and then in Australia and then here.". I didnt think it would be a good thing for me to be in a band with him again, but Lee tried for a number of years. Leaving college to tour, Mr. Polci found himself that same weekend playing before 7,000 people in Chicago on a Saturday night and before 10,000 people in Tennessee the next day. How often do you see Frankie these days?I dont see him at all. Web180K views 3 years ago The Fours Seasons members Bob Gaudio, Gerry Polci and songwriter Judy Parker tell the story behind 'December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)'. That was a little weird for Frank. The crowds were younger, definitely more energetic, and it was one really good venue after another. Join us on Wednesday, May 24, from 7-8pm to learn how to support biodiversity and create your own eco- paradise. There were some good points to that album, and some not-so-good points to that album. I did it for seven years. Public Records Policy. We did Seasons records, of course, since we had a lot of history with that. I dont get tired of it. And then, out of the blue, Mr. Polci's past came back to haunt him -- in the form of a recording made 20 years ago. We just kind of agreed. ' The Four Seasons The song stayed on the hot 100 lists of Billboard magazine for 52 weeks straight. Some of them stayed in their bands for years, while others lasted just a few months. I moved to L.A. in February 1978. ", A Four Seasons Singer Is Back in the Limelight, https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/05/nyregion/a-four-seasons-singer-is-back-in-the-limelight.html. A private room was booked in the venue, with 15 members of the fan club attending and asking questions about the wedding and life in the band. I really want to be healthy, and have a good quality of life. I guess its gotten to the point where I find it a little humorous that still, after all these years, its still confusing for people. It was at the school at 7:30. I stayed for another year and a half. Are any members of the Four Seasons still alive? Heimduo What led to the formation of your band the Hit Men?Well, Lee Shapiro had asked me for a number of years to regroup with Don Ciccone. Oh, What a Night was a group thing, too, but having the lead like that was really pretty cool. Rolling Stones interview series King for a Day features long-form conversations between senior writer Andy Greene and singers who had the difficult job of fronting major rock bands after the departure of an iconic vocalist. She is also known as the celebrity child of Frankie Valli. And the new guys brought in that rock element. You didnt want one?I never thought about it until years later. It was funny. We just wanted to see the reaction, and it was a very good reaction. Academy Slaps Down New Rules After Andrea Riseborough, Tom Cruise, Michelle Yeoh Controversies That was only because Im a musician. I also sang a lot of backgrounds. One of the people who mentored and helped Gerry Polci achieve his drumming dexterity is Joe Morello who played with Dave Brubeck. Mr. Polci joined the Four Seasons in 1973 at the age of 20 while he was a sophomore at Montclair State. You cant help but know the genre. How did your life change in those early months? We used to do 100,000 miles a year. If youre in a band, you sing along. The original lineup was me, Lee, and Don, and a bass player who has passed away, Larry Gates. After that, Silver Star was a song that came out. It became my first and foremost. We played songs by Chicago, and wed sing all the horn parts. It was beaten out a little while later by, I think, Who Let the Dogs Out. We beat out White Christmas.. Playing and singing became very automatic to me., It was tough work and a lot of late nights, but his parents never complained. Now it became a younger crowd because there was a current hit. The five members of this group have recorded or performed with so many stars that they could do a week of shows and not drop the same name twice. Im chicken. The Hit Men hit all the right notes in Morristown The combination was too good to remain in the background. "They were playing at the Fountain in Belleville. Everyone went above and beyond to make Rhea and I feel so comfortable and welcome. He was the face of the group and the voice of nearly all the hits. He gets down to Swingin Tern now and again, in 1992 initially and most recently in 2019, so it is high time for this venerable caller to be back on our [], NOTE CHANGE OF DATE! And were putting out a slick tune that didnt go anywhere. I think it was right at that moment. Why are we taking five weeks off? They redid the rhythm track, updated it, with the same lead vocal, same piano, and it became a Top Ten record again. But it developed into a really good band. When I got with the Seasons, it was like I joined the Beatles. I had lived there for a couple years. I read a review of that Roxy show in The Los Angeles Times. I was tired, but it was good. Gerry Polci Gerry Polci of The Hit Men at Town Hall on July 18, 2013 in New York City. [3][4] He was also married to Rhea Gay Chiles, daughter of late U.S. The show picked up steam with a medley of hits by Tommy James & The Shondells (I Think Were Alone Now, Hanky Panky, Mony Mony). Thank you so much. He said, Frankie wants to meet you before the audition.. I think the timing helped. It was a great experience for me. Date of birth: 9 June 1952 There would be credibility in having a group that is playing a number of the same songs, but also other songs that other people had hits with. Thats where the term The Hit Men came from. Whilst the photograph was getting taken, everybody was singing: Oh, What a Night. We had a table of 16 in and one of the women at the table had come over and said to one of the members of staff that the song was the first dance at her wedding. Indoor program. He went to the same elementary school as Frankie. CHILES, RHEA VS POLCI, GERALD Case Summary On 07/01/2021 CHILES, RHEA filed a Family - Other Family lawsuit against POLCI, GERALD. I did television work in 1978 and 1979. He shook his head and went, I cannot believe to this day that people still think that Frankie Valli sings on that song. Afterward, he went on to work in the Cladwell Public Schools as a music instructor. I enjoyed Florida, but I rekindled a very close friendship in Manhattan. 30 Best Fuck You Songs For Very Difficult Moments. "I have developed a rapport with the kids in the schools," Mr. Polci said. We tried. Enjoy special presentations by a beekeeper and a soil scientist, nature scavenger hunts, and art activities in the garden. [5], Interspersed with performing with the Four Seasons, Polci arranged for Barry Manilow for his television specials and did other musical work. Did you get any offers to make a solo record?Thats a good question. That, to me, was the kiss of death. In 2017, he renewed his vows with Rhea. There were points I did 60 days in a row. He was thinking ahead to Warner Bros. wanting to make a deal and they were going to have to make an album. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Gerry Polci was hired to play drums for Frankie Valli's group in 1973, but he soon became a vocalist and briefly led a spinoff version of the band, Gerry Polci sang lead on the Four Seasons' comeback hit "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night). I knew the repertoire pretty well. Yes, I would love to keep in touch! At this time, he had become a music teacher. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Mr. Polici responded, but Mr. Valli said it was no joke. Verhaal achter het nummer All The Untold Truths About Him, Jeffrey Licon: Who Is He? Why arent you onstage? Were going to have discussions in terms of possibly putting a show together. Learning it was Number One, I still have all the Record Worlds and the magazines that show it going up the charts and finally hitting Number One. It was a good rapport, and I got the gig. (Morristown, NJ) End of Elm + Art is exhibiting mosaic works and paintings by Monique Sarfity of Randolph and Elissa Swanger of Morristown. I get a call back from him. He said: It was a really good night and they had a group photograph taken down in front of the bar. Having a hit that was a complete resurgence for the band and for his business, and frankly, not being financially rewarded for that. I have a cousin who did some production work. He can currently be seen on NBCs flagship series Americas Got Talent where he has served as a judge for eleven seasons. I did more studio work. December 1963 (Oh What a Night Antonio is not active on her Instagram accounts. Three groups at the center of the 1960s Folk Revival continue to delight fans with their smooth musical sounds: The Kingston Trio (Where Have All the Flowers Gone, Tom Dooley), The Brothers Four (Try to Remember) and The Limeliters (Take My True Love by the Hand). Rhea Chiles, daughter of the late US Senator and Florida Governor Lawton Chiles Lawton Chiles and Rhea May Chiles, is a humanitarian and film producer most recently known for her work on feature length documentary The Last Old Master- a biopic about world renowned portrait painter Ralph Cowan. Yardbarker Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. He was a sax player. Gerry Polci (born June 9, 1952) is an American singer and musician who was a member of the American rock and pop band The Four Seasons. WebGerry Polci married Antonia Valli, Frankie Vallis daughter, for a short time. I didnt think there was going to be any changes, any room for improvement, and I left again. We also know that the singer and drummer attended high school at Montclair, and later in his life he went on to pursue a degree at the Montclair State University in music. had indeed swept the charts in Australia and was on its way to the United States. As advertised, The Hit Men really are more than a cover band; these session wizards helped Frankie Valli, Carly Simon, Jim Croce, Cat Stevens, Carole King and many others create some of their most memorable songs. We turned down maybe 30 percent of the work because I was teaching. And Oh, What a Night was a Top Ten record in 1994. Best known for her Tony Award winning role in Miss Saigon, she was also the first Asian to play Eponine in Les Misrables on Broadway and returned as Fantine in the 2006 revival. The Four Seasons had begun as a quartet of young Newarkers from the Italian North Ward and nearby Belleville, singing on street corners until they began to get bookings. Hed just go, Hey, are you all right? They knew I wasnt going out just to hang out. contact the editor here. That song wasnt anywhere near the Sixties. But would you be interested in auditioning for the Four Seasons? Then Jersey Boys came out. So I left at the end of 1977. I keep busy with a few things. I dont know why. He has been touring with The Hit Men for over 25 years. The evening climaxed with Polci, a Passaic native and former teacher in New Providence, reprising his lead vocal on December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) the Four Seasons biggest hit. The success of "December '63 (Oh What a Night!)" Joe Lynn Turner on His Years Fronting Deep Purple and Rainbow: 'I Got Crucified' Gerry Polci is on Facebook. Its interesting since youre so isolated, but I felt really good that I was on a one-to-one level with Bobby since I respected him as a producer, and it was just me and him. Celebrate more than 300 years of Morris County history during the Pathways of History Tour, Saturday, May 6, and Sunday, May 7, noon to 5 p.m., rain or shine. I went from a wedding where I made $125 and played to 100 people. Of course I will. I really didnt go, OK! Zoom link will be emailed to the address you provide [], Enrico Granafei has taken the harmonica from the simple instrument played by bluesmen and folksingers like Bob Dylan, and expanded it into genres from jazz to classical to folk and beyond. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. We got a song list together and said, Lets try this. We put together a few shows that we paid for, not expecting to make any money on them. Polcis band Four Seasons was one of the only two American bands to enjoy substantial chart success before, during, and after the British Invasion. The pair have been together since 1972 and share a daughter named Hanako Williams. Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. You will go home with ideas for easy-care and beautiful native shrubs and flowers for different soil and sun conditions. It was 30 seconds of this, a minute of this, 15 seconds I was like, Please get me out of here. Which was wrong, since since some of those guys are still doing recording sessions now. He sang lead and played drums on a number of their major hits, including the 1976 and 1994 worldwide hit, "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)". Why arent we doing press releases? But we all have things to give. Do you ever think about writing a memoir?I think it would be interesting. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India You can go home every night.Totally. I learned all these different ranges. It was a great experience. WebI stopped touring in 2016, after I married the love of my life, Rhea Chiles, and moved to Florida. I already knew all those guys since Id done the shows before. ), December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night) spent another 27 weeks on the Hot 100 in 1993, when Dutch DJ Ben Liebrand gave it a dance remix, introducing the song to a whole other generation. Thats part of your deal. He played on a lot of records for people in England and here. Polci is the primary vocalist on December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night), the 1975 single that shot to Number One and became one of the groups most enduring songs and arguably their biggest hit in the long run. He left the band, enrolled at Montclair State University to pursue a degree in musical education, and worked with the Caldwell Public School system as assistant director of the high school marching band and as music instructor. He and two of his Four Seasons band mates, Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro, decided that since the play was bringing their fame back into the publics eye, it would be fun to piggyback on that fame and form a band based on the music that they made famous. We did one show in L.A. at the Roxy. We hated it. It was really a showcase. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. (On the song, Polci handles everything except the bridge, which Don Ciccone sings, and the chorus, which Valli delivers in his distinctive falsetto. Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian Folk-Rock Troubadour, Dead at 84 In at least one case, he said, at the parents' request, he persuaded a youngster not to drop out of school and saw him go on to college. And we all sang. No. We didnt have a mutiny, but it was like, Thats not going to work. The next day, they came back with December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night). It was the next day. Its hard. They were bolstered by a three-piece horn section, led with verve by Mark Feinberg on sax. What did that do to the legacy of the Four Seasons?It was nostalgia on steroids at that point. At that point, it became the longest-running record on the Billboard Hot 100. Riders get better. Do you still enjoy singing it?I do. I will never forget that and will always be grateful. Elton John), who hired guitar ace Jimmy Ryan for a studio session in the 70s, also got a nod with sizzling renditions of Crocodile Rock and Saturday Nights Alright. "December '63 (Oh What a Night!)" That was a lot of fun in that respect. The next gig was in Kentucky. It was torture. "He did it at my urging," said his wife, the former Toni Valli, Mr. Valli's daughter. I think Bobby [Gaudio], because Bobby wrote the tunes with his wife He couldnt go after true hard rock since hed leave a lot of his fans behind.

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