Biography

Was introduced to Frankie Valli, Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito by Joe Pesci, which led to the formation of The Four Seasons.

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1995.

First gained fame as a member of the rock group The Four Seasons. He was also a producer on many of their records and a prolific songwriter for not only The Four Seasons but many other artists as well.

Formerly a member of the 1950s rock group The Royal Teens and composer of their hit song, "Short Shorts".

Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of The Four Seasons) in 1990.

There's just no way to do a biography if you're not going to tell the truth. Frankie [Frankie Valli] and I had to face that fact. Sure, we winced. We're still wincing. But if you whitewash everything, you know, everyone knows that it wasn't really that way.

[on touring] Me leaving high school was the best thing I ever did. It took me to big places. I'd have missed out so much if I'd stayed in school. I had a great education. In New York/New Jersey, gangs were prevalent for sure. But not that deep-rooted racial hatred. As soon as we crossed the Mason-Dixon line, it was a real cold bucket of water. When I got back north I was immediately 35 years old.

[on staying part of management rather than performance] Being onstage is just not a need for me, and I wouldn't give anything back to the audience either. That's Frankie's [Frankie Valli's] world, not mine. And it never has been. I woke up one morning and realized, "Who says I have to get up onstage and sing the songs I wrote? What bible is that in?"

People hear my last name and are immediately surprised by my demeanor. I keep calm, stay patient, and I don't fly off the handle when faced with adversity. I have no time for dramatics. Nothing gets resolved with them. I'm firm but fair in my dealings. Cooler heads always prevail.

I wasn't raised with a lot of means, but compared to the others, I was seen as "rich". I wasn't a troublemaker, didn't do drugs, not a big drinker, never got into fights. I kept to myself mostly. I enjoyed reading. When I wasn't writing music, I was reading.