THE FOUR SEASONS :: Classic 4 Seasons!!!

THE FOUR SEASONS

1967

Above: The Four Seasons
Joe Long, Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio and Tommy DeVito


The Four Seaons below left to right: Valli, DeVito, Gaudio and Long


Below in the Studio Left to Right: Long, Valli, Gaudio and DeVito c. 1965

* Note: Joe Long is the only member of the group not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Contact the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Today and let them know Joe belongs!

It is time for a change in either the criteria or to those who are appointed to implement it!

You Can Also Send Your Letters of Support to:

Mr. Jann S. Wenner

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nomination Committee, Rolling Stone Magazine Headquarters and Wenner Publishing, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10104-0298

Telephone: 212-484-1616

PS: If Mr. Wenner receives your letter he will most likely read it and look into the matter. He will also likely send a personal reply. Jann is a great guy! I meet him at a few parties in the past while in NYC.

MAP

Original News about The Four Seasons:

News articles from the 1960s about The Four Seasons:
This is the stuff the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame does not want you to read!
Anyone who reads these original newspaper articles would no doubt agree that Joe Long belongs in the Hall of Fame with the other Four Seasons. The Hall of Fame will try to rewrite rock and roll history, but here is the true story from the orginal new articles of the 1960s:
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_JoeMarried.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_KRLABEAT_March261966.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_HitParaderMay1967.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_HitParaderYearbook1967.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_LetItRock373_4.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_SongHitsJune1966.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_SongHitsFeb1967.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_TeensTopTenDec1967.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_HitParaderOct1966.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_Dec1972.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_ColorotoDec211970.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_July1972.html
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_CashJan251969_10.jpg
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_CashJan251969_11.jpg
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_CashJan251969_7.jpg
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_CashJan251969_13.jpg
http://gilgweb.com/IMAGES/M_CashJan251969_6.jpg
* A special thanks to GILGWEB for allowing us access to this great Archive of Four Seasons recourses

Additional notes supporting Joe Long for HOF induction:

I have already seen the bs response to others who have questioned the oversight of Mr Long to the Rock Hall of Famed. The canned response is flawed as is the process. It is time for a change in either the criteria or to those who are appointed to implement it. This process is saw flawed that the oversights is widespread. Other examples would be the exclusion of groups such as CHICAGO, THE MOODY BLUES and the inclusion of individuals and groups specifically because they or members have passed away. It is time for a change in those involved in the selection process! An unsigned note from a Four Seasons fan
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I could not agree more with this fan! The fans of rock and roll music are completely ignored by the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". The fans who take the time to write well articulated letters in support of a musician are dismissed with a standard form letter. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a spin off of Rolling Stone Magazine and is quickly becoming big business for all “baby bombers” involved. They have figured out a way to cash in on rock and roll music and thus now send corporate form (canned) letters to us rock and roll music fans. Personally, I would rather visit the local Hard Rock Café where I can enjoy a nice meal and cocktails while viewing classic rock and roll memorabilia. I believe the Hard Rock Café captures the spirit of Rock and Roll in a way that the so called "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" never will. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame should be fun, not big business! By the way, the Hard Rock Café in NYC and Vegas have some great Four Seasons items in their collection- much of which includes our favorite -bassist Joe Long. Cheers! Dr. Mark Stout, NYC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter to Jann Wenner (Owner of Rolling Stone Magazine/Founder Rock and Roll Hall of Fame):
Mr. Wenner,
I hope you can see the injustice that isbeing done here and will do the right thing bythrowing your full support to give the 4 Seasons' JoeLong the formal Rock and Roll Hall of Fameenshrinement that has been denied to him for the past17 years. With the current huge success being enjoyedby "Jersey Boys," the Broadway musical story of the 4Seasons, the timing for Joe Long's long-deservingenshrinement couldn't be any better.
Regards,
Michael Kent
Texas

Reply to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Form Letter

Replies to the standard Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Form Letter:
If you write or email The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame you will receive the standard form letter they send to everyone where they just insert "Joe Long" in the "musician's name" field and "The Four Seasons" in the "group's name field.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After attending a performance of Jersey Boys in New York I was introduced to Joe Long who I remembered from my youth as the bassist and back-up singer of the Four Seasons. I new he was not one of the original members just as Clarence Clemons was not one of the original members of the E-street band or Ron Wood was not one of the original members of the Rolling Stones and so on and so on. I was then shown a response that you kindly wrote to a member of the committee formed to request the the Hall of Fame to reevaluate its oversight in not including Joe Long with the original members inducted in your Hall. NIck Massi was an original member but left the group in 1964. You might know Joe Long performed with the group from 1965 to 1975 and contributed to the group's success to the same degree if not more then Nick Massi. I then reread your letter and found your thinking flawed to an alarming degree. I then obtained a list of those members of groups that have been inducted and became embarrassed to see individuals inducted, who based on your criteria, should not even been considered for induction. I then thought however, better to include those individuals rather then exclude them for the honor that maybe I am not seeing. Joe Long, however, does meet all the criteria and the committee or whatever you call yourself, should make this correction.
Also, as discussion for another day, how in the world could the group "Chicago" not be in the Rock Hall of Fame.

Let's Hang On!!!!
Howard Littman

1967 The Four Seasons Live Shows

1967 was a very busy year for The Four Seasons:

Below: Gaudio - Valli - Long - DeVito

The Four Seasons Concert Pics From 1971

Below: Gaudio - Valli - Long

Below: Joe Long bass guitar and vocals

Joe Long : Bass, Backup Vocals, Musical Arrangements

More Articles calling for Joe Long to be inducted in the Hall of Fame with The Four Seasons

The Four Seasons Pictured Above (left to right):

Gaudio, Valli, Long and DeVito

Despite his extensive contributions to the Four Seasons, Joe Long remains the only member of the group's “definitive line up” not inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
The internet is filled with many article, blogs, websites and other all calling for Joe Long to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Here’s just a articles few:
http://www.answers.com/topic/joe-long
http://www.classicbands.com/seasons.html
http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Joe_Long
Wikipedia: The Four Seasons
Wikipedia: Joe Long
YouTube Video Comments
YouTube Video More Comments
YouTube: Ed Sullivan Show with Joe Long on Bass

YouTube: Joe Long Tribute

Send your comments to:

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nomination Committee Rolling Stone Magazine Headquarters and Wenner Publishing: 1290 Avenue of the Americas, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10104-0298

You can also email: Ms. Terry Stewart, President Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at: suhl@rockhall.org

The Committee to Induct Joe Long to Hall of Fame:
Prof. Scott Stout, MA (Co-Chairman) SRSPSYCH@aol.com
Capt. Peter Bartelli (Co-Chairman)

JOE LONG REMAINS THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE FOUR SEASONS NOT IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME IN CLEVELAND

Answers.com also agrees...

Answers.com (encyclodictionalmanacapedia) agrees that Joe Long belong in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Answers Corporation's comprehensive reference work containing articles on a wide range of subjects including entries on celebrities.

Joe Long
Joe Long (born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on September 5, 1941 as Joseph LaBracio) is best known as the bass guitarist and vocal arranger for The Four Seasons, one of the biggest music acts of the 1960s.... Despite his extensive contributions to the Four Seasons, Joe Long remains the only member of the group's “definitive line up” not inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, most likely because he was not one of groups "founders" in 1962. Much controversy still exists over this questionable decision, especially in light of the many top-10 hits the group had during his tenure.

Read the full article at: http://www.answers.com/topic/joe-long

Joe Long: Wikipdedia agrees Joe Long belongs in Rock and Roll HOF

Joe Long
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joe Long (born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on September 5, 1941[1] as Joseph LaBracio) is best known as the bass guitarist and vocal arranger for The Four Seasons, one of the biggest music acts of the 1960s. At their peak, The Four Seasons made recordings that expressed the tough-but-tender sensibility of their home turf in the Northeast much in the way the Beach Boys encapsulated the world of Southern California in harmony and song. In the words of Billy Joel, a longtime fan who grew up listening to them on Long Island, "The Four Seasons had wonderful chord progressions, beautiful writing, terrific production, fantastic harmony, records that really spoke to us."

Joe LaBracio is a classically trained musician and studied with Alfonse Strazza, a primo bassist and the principal bassist for the New York Philharmonic. However, a severe hand injury forced Joe to give up the rigors of playing classical bass and switch to the Fender bass-guitar. He then began listening more to rock and roll and became a rock 'n roll player for several local New Jersey bands before joining with his fellow "Jersey Boys", The Four Seasons in 1965 as a replacement for Nick Massi. Joe Long contributed much to the group’s innovative musical style and famous on stage antics. Joe Long continued to record, perform and tour with The Four Seasons through the late-1970s. After leaving the group Joe Long formed the rock 'n roll group LaBracio and later the jazz band Jersey Bounce.

Despite his extensive contributions to the Four Seasons, Joe Long remains the only member of the group's “definitive line up” not inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, most likely because he was not one of groups "founders" in 1962. Much controversy still exists over this questionable decision, especially in light of the many top-10 hits the group had during his tenure.