1 week Ago By Eve Wagstaff
Lead singer of the Four Seasons Frankie Valli left fans concerned again earlier this week when a new video went viral of him looking frail during a performance of Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye) . He originally sparked worry last year, when videos of his recent concerts circulated online – but spoke out to deny claims of elder abuse. The singer, now 90 years old, has been pictured wearing a green sequinned jacket, a crisp black shirt and matching trousers as he held a microphone in one hand.
Surrounded by backing singers and musicians, Frankie looked frail as he stood on stage and seemed to be miming along to the lyrics. He gave the crowd a smile and a small bow as the song ended. One fan on X posted: “Why would they do this to Frankie Valli?” While someone else followed up: “One of the truly great voices of the modern era.
.. the magnificent Frankie Valli! What a shame.
” Frankie's health has drawn concern from fans for several years. In October 2021, the star announced on his Instagram that he would be halting the band’s US tour for a "couple of months" due to pneumonia. But during December, another post stated Valli still wasn't "100%" and the tour was postponed again.
Valli wrote: "I’m just writing to let you know I’m recovering nicely, but unfortunately the doctors want me to take another month off before I begin performing.” When the star first fell ill, he thought he had the flu but soon found out that it was pneumonia, and was prescribed antibiotics to treat it. He stated: “I'm disappointed to say what we thought was the flu is actually pneumonia.
I am doing much better after a couple rounds of antibiotics...
But the doctors tell me it's going to be a couple months before I'm back at full steam and ready to tour again.” Despite his incredible vocals, Frankie has been battling with a hearing condition for most of his life. In the late 1960s, he was diagnosed with otosclerosis, an incurable ear syndrome that leads to deafness.
According to Frankie, performing on stage became an isolating experience as he struggled to hear himself, and recording sessions were fraught with difficulties because of the high volume levels he required in his headphones. The star ended up having a series of intricate operations performed by internationally reknowned ear surgeon Dr. Victor Goodhill, which managed to restore much of Frankie’s hearing.
He said: “In 1967, I found out I was losing my hearing. I went 10 years without any help. I had otosclerosis-hardening of the bone in the middle of the ear.
"Dr. Victor Goodhill did the surgery and it saved my life. He went to the bone bank at UCLA and made me a new stapes bone for each ear.
He brought my hearing from about 35% in one ear to about 98%, and a year later operated on the other ear and brought it up to 87%. That was a moment of truth for me”. Last year Frankie spoke out when claims of “elder abuse” were levelled against his managers, sharing a statement which read: “I am blessed to be 90 years old and still be doing what I love to do and as long as I am able, and audiences want to come see me, I am going to be out there performing as I always have.
“I absolutely love what I do. And I know we put on a great show because our fans are still coming out in force and the show still rocks. How do we do the show?! The Four Seasons sound was always about layering vocals and instruments.
“We use our 60 years of experience so we sound like the records. I sing, I have singers who sing, great arrangements..
. everything. I get a chuckle from the comments wondering if someone forcing me to go on stage.
Nobody has ever made me do anything I didn’t want to do.”.
