Frankie Valli

Valli has been the lead singer from then until the present time. He died from pneumonia in Santa Monica, California at the age of 89, and is buried in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Culver City, California. Nick DeVito and Majewski left the group in 1960 or 1961 and were replaced by Bob Gaudio and Nick Massi. As the lead singer of the Four Seasons, he had a string of hits beginning with a #1 hit "Sherry" in 1962. When he was asked about his ancestry, he replied always with "Alsace-Lorraine, Germany" (although this was totally wrong). About the same time, Valli Italianized his name to its current form. Welk is said to have learned English only when he was already an adult because he always spoke German at home. After a few name changes afterwards, the group was renamed "The Four Seasons" in 1960. A resort community in Escondido, California is named after Welk.

They redubbed themselves "The Four Lovers" and had a top 40 hit with "Apple of My Eye" in 1956. His band continues to appear in a dedicated theater in Branson, Missouri even though Welk is now deceased. In the mid-1950s he split up with the Travellers and joined The Variety Trio, which consisted of Tommy DeVito, twin brother Nick, and Hank Majewski. Welk's California automobile license plate read A1ANA2, referencing his trademark count-off before each number, "A one, and a two...". He cut his first single in 1953 at 16 with The Travellers, as "Frankie Valley & the Travellers", or according to other sources, as a solo career as "Frankie Valley". One of his sons ended up marrying fellow Lawrence Welk Show performer Tanya Falan. Valli started his singing career in 1952. He was married for over sixty years, until his death, to Fern Renner, who bore him three children.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with The Four Seasons in 1990. Welk's instrumental cover of the song "Yellow Bird" was a hit. Valli Scored over 25 top-40 hits with The Four Seasons, a handful of top-40 hits dubbed as a solo act in the late 1960s, one dubbed as The Wonder Who? in 1965, and again in the mid to late 1970s. One notable showcase was his album with the noted jazz saxophonist Johnny Hodges. Frankie Valli (born May 3, 1937 in the Italian First Ward of Newark, New Jersey as Francis Stephen Castelluccio) is best known as lead singer of The Four Seasons, one of the biggest music acts of the 1960s, which continued from then to the 1970s disco scene to the present day. His band was well-disciplined and had excellent arrangements in all styles. Welk was noted for spotlighting individual members of his band and show.

The reputation for "corny music" notwithstanding, his musicians were always top quality, including accordionist Myron Floren and New Orleans Dixieland clarinetist Pete Fountain. During one show Welk brought a cameraman out to dance with one of the ladies and took over the camera himself. Welk often took ladies from the audience for a turn around the dance floor. His TV show was recorded as if it were live and was sometimes quite free-wheeling.

Although born in the United States, he spoke with a slight but notable European accent that many, especially ladies, found to be quite appealing. Much of the show's appeal was Welk himself. This strategy proved commercially successful. Welk's television program had a policy to only play well known songs and tunes from previous years, so that the target audience would only hear numbers that they were already familiar with.

The show was first aired nationally on ABC in 1955. That same year, he began producing The Lawrence Welk Show on KTLA in Los Angeles. In 1952, Welk settled in Los Angeles, California. This gig turned into a 10 year stint, drawing crowds of nearly 7000 on a regular basis.

In the early 1940s the band travelled to California for a six-week engagement at the Avalon Ballroom. The band performed in many places across the country, particularly in the Chicago area. During the 1930s, Welk led a travelling big band, specializing in dance tunes and 'sweet' music. His band was the station band for popular radio station WNAX in Yankton, South Dakota.

In the 1920s Welk lead a big band played engagments in eastern South Dakota area. His "Champagne Music" has been considered the epitome of "square". His show was warm and family-oriented. His music was conservative, concentrating mostly on pop song standards, polkas, and novelty songs, delivered in a smooth, calming, good-humored easy listening style.

He was born in Strasburg, North Dakota to Russian German parents. Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903—May 17, 1992) was a musician, accordion player, band leader, and television impresario.