Singer Tommy DeVito, Founding Member of The Four Seasons, Dead at Age 92
Singer and guitarist Tommy DeVito of The Four Seasons has died at the age of 92, according to a statement issued by Bob Gaudio and Frankie Valli.
“It is with great sadness that we report that Tommy DeVito, a founding member of The Four Seasons, has passed,” the two revealed in a joint statement, according to a post by Frankie Valli.
“We send our love to his family during this most difficult time. He will be missed by all who loved him.”
“My dear friend Tommy passed away in Las Vegas at 9:45 last night with deep regret I am writing this sitting in his living room,” Alfredo Nittoli shared on Tuesday. “I was informed by his daughter Darcel there will be a service in New Jersey.”
DeVito passed away in Las Vegas on Sept. 21 due to coronavirus-related complications, according to the New York Post.
The band was known for hits like “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Sherry” and “Walk Like a Man.” DeVito stuck with them until 1970. He said the famed group represented its members pretty well.
“No. 1, I give credit to Gaudio because he came up with good songs, you know what I mean,” DeVito said, according to USA Today.
“Everybody had their little parts in it and that made it strong and I was probably a strong character in the group, so everybody had a little piece in it.”
“Convention (Hall in Asbury Park), we used to fill that thing — good times in there. We played in Long Branch years and years before that in a place called Jazz City.”
“The guy who owned the place was a good friend of mine. We enjoyed working there because it was an easy job and easy to get along with the guys.”
Their warm reception has continued through the decades, and their music is still popular — but even back in its prime, the group was doing well enough that it didn’t seem too concerned with up-and-comers “The Beatles.”
“They came in a year or so after we got going and they made some noise, but they didn’t bother us because we still had one or two songs on the charts when they were here,” DeVito said.
“They didn’t bother me at all.”
A Broadway musical was written about the group, and in 2014 the movie “Jersey Boys” directed by Clint Eastwood made its debut. Their music can still be heard on television shows and at weddings.
DeVito will be remembered by fans of the group’s music as well as his friends who have posted on social media about the passing of their friend and fellow musician.
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