Editing The Four Seasons (band) (section)

===1953–1960: Before The Four Seasons===
{{main|The Four Lovers}}
Frankie Valli's first commercial release was "My Mother's Eyes" (as Frankie Valley) in 1953. The following year, he and guitarist Tommy DeVito formed '''The Variatones''' (with Hank Majewski, rhythm guitar, Frank Cottone, accordion, and Billy Thompson, drums),<ref name=bimbamboom>Walter Gollender. ''Bim Bam Boom No. 8'' (December 1972).</ref> which between 1954 and 1956 performed and recorded under a variety of names before settling on the name '''The Four Lovers''', based upon a [[Latin lover]] gimmick<ref name="Bronson">{{cite book|author=Bronson, Fred|title=The Billboard Book of Number One Hits|edition=3rd|publisher=Billboard Books|year=1992|isbn=0-8230-8298-9}}</ref><ref>Joe Sasfy. Liner notes to ''Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons: 1962-1967'' (Warner Special Products, 1987: Time-Life Music The Rock 'N' Era 2RNR-15)</ref> and playing [[country music]].<ref name=bimbamboom/> The same year, the quartet (DeVito, his twin brother Nick, Majewski and Valli) released their first record, [[Otis Blackwell]]'s "[[You're the Apple of My Eye]]", which appeared on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Top 100 singles chart, peaking at #62.<ref>{{cite book|author=Whitburn, Joel|title=Top Pop Singles 1955–1993|publisher=Billboard Publications|year=1994|isbn=0-89820-105-5}}</ref> Five more Four Lovers singles (on [[RCA Records|RCA Victor]]) were released over the next year, with virtually no sales, airplay, or jukebox play. In 1957, the band's seventh single (this time on [[Epic Records|Epic]]) had a similar lack of success.<ref>{{cite book|author=Umphred, Neil|title=Goldmine's Rock 'n' Roll 45RPM Record Price Guide|edition=3rd|publisher=Krause Publications|year=1994|isbn=0-87341-287-7}}</ref>

From 1956 until 1958, the group stayed together, performing in clubs and lounges as the Four Lovers and recording on music labels under various names: Frankie Tyler, Frankie Valli, Frankie Valli and the Travelers, Frankie Valli and the Romans, the Village Voices, and the Topics are some of the 18 "stage names" used individually or collectively by the members of the band. Majewski left the band due to creative differences,<ref name=bimbamboom/> while Nick DeVito left the group (portrayed in ''Jersey Boys'' as being due to an extended prison sentence, though Tommy DeVito stated in 2008 that he had fired the two because he had booked a gig opening up for [[Tony Bennett]], believing it would be the group's big break, only for Majewski and Nick DeVito to refuse to travel to it, forcing him to cancel).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2008/apr/02/vegas-man-knows-jersey-boys/|title=Vegas man knows 'Jersey Boys'|first=Jerry|last=Fink|date=April 2, 2008|website=Lasvegassun.com|access-date=September 23, 2020}}</ref> To fill the gap, two members of the Hollywood Playboys, another touring group in North Jersey, joined Valli and Tommy DeVito: lead keyboardist Hugh Garrity and guitarist [[Nick Massi|Nickie Massey]].<ref name=bimbamboom/><ref>Florio, Steve (December 28, 2000). [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/four-seasons-member-succumbs-to-cancer-120790/ Four Seasons member succumbs to cancer], ''Rolling Stone''. Retrieved May 21, 2023.</ref>

In 1959, the band started working with [[Record producer|producer]]/[[songwriter]] [[Bob Crewe]], primarily for [[session musician|session work]] (Crewe wrote "I Go Ape", which Valli recorded with the intention of releasing it as a "solo" single, only to be beaten to the punch by an [[I Go Ape|unrelated song of the same name]] from [[Neil Sedaka]], who became friends with Valli later on). Later that year, the Four Lovers were performing in [[Baltimore]] on the same stage as the [[Royal Teens]], who were riding the wave of success of "[[Short Shorts]]", a song co-written by then-15-year-old [[Bob Gaudio]], who was also the Royal Teens' keyboardist. In late 1959, Gaudio became the group's keyboardist; Garrity returned to the Hollywood Playboys without Massey, who briefly launched a solo career.<ref>"Record Reviews." [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/50s/1959/CB-1959-10-24.pdf ''Cashbox''. October 24, 1959]. p. 12</ref> During this time, [[Charles Calello]] filled in as the fourth member of the quartet. Early in 1960, a now-renamed Nick Massi returned, now playing [[electric bass]] in addition to vocals and arrangement duties.

In 1960, despite the changes of personnel, the fortunes of the Four Lovers had not changed—they failed an audition for a lounge at a [[Union Township, Union County, New Jersey]] bowling establishment. According to Gaudio, "We figured we'll come out of this with something. So we took the name of the bowling alley. It was called the Four Seasons." Despite the last few years of frustration of the Four Lovers, this proved to be the turning point for the band. Later, on a handshake agreement between keyboardist/composer Bob Gaudio and lead singer Frankie Valli, the Four Seasons Partnership was formed.