Street to Be Renamed After Joe Long (LaBracio) of the Four Seasons

golding76 · ‎05-19-2012

Very good news concerning Joe Long (born LaBracio), who was a major Four Season (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons) from 1965 - 1975.

Elizabeth, N.J., is renaming a street after him. Elizabeth is Joe's hometown. This is a well-deserved tribute to a stellar musician and wonderful man. The ceremony will be held on July 27. I do not know any more details at this time. If you live in the area, why not attend? That is, of course, if you were a fan. Fans from the U.K. are considering attending.

Thank heavens New Jersey honors all of its own. There was a quick mention of Joe in the Jersey Boys movie.

LaterGator · ‎03-09-2010

I think it's great that they are doing this.

Are you the one whose brother took his place in the band?

golding76 · ‎05-19-2012

On 7/12/2014 LaterGator said:
I think it's great that they are doing this.

Are you the one whose brother took his place in the band?

My brother took the place of Tommy DeVito (guitarist/singer) in 1970, and performed with Joe until he (my brother) left the group in 1974. My brother recorded "My Eyes Adored You" and the "Chameleon" (now known as "The Motown Years") album. When you hear the opening of "My Eyes Adored You," that's my brother playing the guitar. Of course he is singing as the group of three behind Frankie, as well. Sadly, when the "Grease" album was recorded in 1978, my brother was invited to be a studio guitarist on the album, but our father became critically ill and died the week he was to go out to L.A. to record.

ETA: "Upon their return to the US, Bob Gaudio looked for a permanent lead guitarist to replace Tommy DeVito and found Demetri Callas who stayed with the group in that capactity for 3-4 years."

The weekend "Jersey Boys" the movie came out, someone "scrubbed" the Wikipedia site of the Four Seasons, deleting the names of all who have been Seasons at one time or another. It's almost as though they are rewriting history to match the altered chronology of the play and movie.

LaterGator · ‎03-09-2010

Thanks. I'm infatuated with the Four Seasons. I guess because of my age so I enjoy finding out about them. It's too bad Wikipedia was changed because I did read it after the movie came out to see what the movie left out. What I read made no sense to me. I hate it that people can go into Wiki and change it like that.

It's so cool that your brother was with the band. I bet that's a great memory for him and a good thing on his resume.