Bob Gaudio

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Bob Gaudio
Gaudio in 1966
Gaudio in 1966
Background information
Birth nameRobert John Gaudio
Born (1942-11-17) November 17, 1942 (age 81)
The Bronx, New York, U.S.
OriginBergenfield, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresRock, pop
Occupation(s)Record producer, songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)Piano, vocals
Years active1958–present

Robert John Gaudio (born November 17, 1942) is an American songwriter, singer, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the pop/rock band the Four Seasons. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced the vast majority of the band's music, including hits like "Sherry" and "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)", as well as "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" for Valli. Though he no longer performs with the group, Gaudio and lead singer Frankie Valli remain co-owners of the Four Seasons brand.

Early career

Born in the Bronx, New York, Gaudio was raised in Bergenfield, New Jersey, where he attended Bergenfield High School.[1][2] His mother worked for the publishing house Prentice Hall and his father in a paper factory. He showed an interest in music and studied piano with Sal Mosca.[3]

He grew up in more comfortable middle-class surroundings than the other members of the Four Seasons, which caused some tension and differences early on. He was a cerebral person, interested in reading and learning. He stayed out of trouble and had a mild manner, which proved useful during negotiations throughout his career.

He rose to musical fame at the age of 15 as a member of

Four Lovers
as they prepared to perform on a local television program. Wearying of touring, Gaudio left the Royal Teens soon afterward.

One year after he ceased touring, Gaudio joined the Four Lovers. While commercial success was elusive, the group was kept busy with session work (with Bob Crewe as the producer), and a string of performances at night clubs and lounges.

The Four Seasons Era

Gaudio (left) with The Four Seasons in 1966

In 1960, after a failed audition at a bowling establishment in Union Township, called the "4 Seasons", songwriter/pianist Gaudio shook hands with lead singer Valli and formed the Four Seasons Partnership, and Gaudio, Valli, Tommy DeVito, and Nick Massi became The Four Seasons.

Gaudio wrote the Seasons' first No. 1 hit, "

The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore
", another Valli single).

After the

Ace in the UK. Gaudio and Holmes also wrote and produced Frank Sinatra's 1969 album Watertown
.

In 1975 Gaudio wrote "

December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)
" with his future wife Judy Parker. The Bob and Judy songs became big hits for a reconstituted Four Seasons group (only Valli was left of the original lineup; Gaudio stopped touring with them in 1971 to concentrate on writing and producing).

Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, Frankie Valli and Nick Massi – the original members of The Four Seasons – were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990[5] and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.[6]

Other activity

In addition to his work for the Seasons and Sinatra, he wrote and/or produced for

Grammy Award
nomination.

In the 1990s Gaudio moved to Nashville and produced recordings for Canadian country artist George Fox, among others. He lured Neil Diamond to Nashville to record the album Tennessee Moon. In recent years Gaudio has focused on musical theater, writing the music for the 2001 London West End production of Peggy Sue Got Married.

Gaudio was instrumental in mounting

Best Musical Show Album
category.

Gaudio was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1995.[7]

On February 3, 2009, Gaudio received his high school diploma, 50 years after dropping out of Bergenfield High School.

On May 12, 2012, Gaudio received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for his commitment to many humanitarian causes.[8]

On June 20, 2014, Warner Bros. released the film version of Jersey Boys, directed by Clint Eastwood, in which Gaudio was portrayed by Erich Bergen.[9] Jersey Boys credits a then-teenaged Joe Pesci with introducing Gaudio to Tommy DeVito.[10]

On July 1, 2014, Rhino Entertainment released Audio with a G, the first compilation of the music composed by Bob Gaudio as performed by the Four Seasons, Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross, The Temptations, Cher, Roberta Flack, Nina Simone, Jerry Butler, Chuck Jackson and others.[9]

Gaudio remains active in managing the Four Seasons catalog and consults with Primary Wave, a company Gaudio partnered with to manage the catalog in 2020, on each licensing request, with a spokesman for Primary Wave noting that Gaudio was more hands-on than most musicians in how he wanted the Four Seasons' music to be used, especially in advertising.[11]

In 2022, Gaudio is credited as a co-songwriter for the song "Burning" by

Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken
.

Personal life

Gaudio was married to Brit Gaudio until the early 1970s. Near the end of their marriage, the two wrote three songs together, all of which have titles pertaining to a disconnected couple.[12] Brit Gaudio died in 1989, age 47.[13]

By 1975, Gaudio was in a relationship with Judy Parker, who would become his wife and regular songwriting collaborator. "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" is, according to Gaudio, based upon an early encounter between the two.[14] The two married in 1981 and remained so until Parker died September 14, 2017.[15]

References

  1. The Record (Bergen County)
    , March 31, 2007. Accessed October 9, 2007. "Before "Jersey Boys" and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Bob Gaudio was a 15-year-old musical whiz from Bergenfield who had to decide between staying in school and touring with Chuck Berry."
  2. ^ a b Rotella, Mark. "Straight Out of Newark", The New York Times, October 2, 2005. Accessed October 9, 2007. "Originally from the Bronx, Mr. Gaudio had, at age 15, written the hit "Who Wears Short Shorts", which he made up while driving with friends along the main drag in Bergenfield."
  3. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Bob Gaudio". AllMusic.com. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  4. ^ Bob Gaudio interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
  5. ^ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame entry for "The Four Seasons".
  6. ^ Vocal Group Hall of Fame entry Archived October 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine for "The Four Seasons".
  7. ^ "Bob Gaudio | Songwriters Hall of Fame". Songhall.org. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  8. National Ethnic Coalition. Archived from the original
    on June 3, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  9. ^ a b Marchese, Joe (June 11, 2014). "Who Loves You: Rhino Celebrate 'Jersey Boys' with Box Sets for Frankie Valli and Four Seasons, First Bob Gaudio Anthology". The Second Disc.
  10. ^ "Jersey Boys (2014)". History vs Hollywood. CTF Media. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  11. ^ Wood, Mikael (October 25, 2023). "At 89, Frankie Valli is ready for one last encore". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  12. Allmusic
    , retrieved January 11, 2024.
  13. ^ Brit Gaudio songwriter credits from Discogs, retrieved January 11, 2024.
  14. ^ "Gaudio put words in Valli's mouth". Sun-setinel.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
  15. ^ "Judy Gaudio, Co-Writer of Four Seasons Hits, Dies". Best Classic Bands. September 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2024.

External links