Trenton, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/08/2014 -- It's time to get into the holiday spirit with Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro. They may not be household names but back in the 70's, music fans bought all of their records. You heard them on the radio, saw them on TV and went to their concerts. So who are they? They're the former stars of the hit-making factory known as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
These guys toured the world with Frankie, recorded numerous hit albums with him and sang the lead vocals on songs like "Oh What a Night" – the biggest Seasons hit of all time. When they met in 1973, they were two boys from New Jersey barely out of their teens, and the Four Seasons hadn't had a charted hit record in years. Along with Valli and songwriter/ producer Bob Gaudio, Gerry Polci and Lee Shapiro successfully transitioned the group's sound from '60s doo-wop to '70s pop with mega-hit songs like "Who Loves You" and "Oh What a Night". Spurred by the runaway success of "Jersey Boys", the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical based on the Four Seasons' career, these former Seasons decided to reunite - along with an A-list group of musicians who wrote, recorded and performed with Carly Simon, Cat Stevens, Elton John, Jim Croce, Chicago, Luther Vandross, The Ramones, Carole King, and other mega-star acts of the era - and give touring one more shot.
They now call themselves The Hit Men, and their holiday tour begins this Sunday at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center in Florida. Their show is an amazing look back through rock and roll history with a sprinkling of holiday hits from their brand new CD, recorded in the style of the artists with whom they've worked through the years. You'll hear fascinating back stories of what it was like being on the road and in the recording studios with the stars with The Hit Men performing great songs from the Four Seasons songbook (from "Rag Doll", "Dawn", and "Walk Like a Man" to "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", "Marianne" and "Sherry"), plus other mega hits that members of The Hit Men helped make famous back in the day such as Cat Stevens' "Peace Train", Jim Croce's "Leroy Brown", Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" and Tommy James' "Mony Mony"). Says music director and former Four Seasons member Lee Shapiro, "This show is a chance for everyone to relive the glory days of rock and roll with a great group of guys who actually lived and breathed the experience. You'll walk out of the theater exhilarated, excited and wanting more. We guarantee it."
The Hit Men hit the stage at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center, 9221 SE Civic Center Pl, Port St. Lucie, FL 34952 on Sunday, December 7 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available by calling 888-718-4253. The tour continues December 11 at 8:00 PM at the Bergen PAC, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000.
Tickets for both shows start at $37 and are also available through the producer's website http://www.poprockdoowopp.com
About The Hit Men
The Hit Men, and their holiday tour begins this Sunday at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center in Florida
Praia Entertainment Group
Contact: Joseph Mirrione 561-414-9194
jmirrione@praiaentertainment.com
Publicity photo at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vgvxqjoa61lqblv/PrimaryPromoImage.jpg?dl=0
L to R: Gerry Polci, Larry Gates, Russ Velazquez, Lee Shapiro and Jim Ryan