Myles Schlank
I asked Ron Farber if he had a music-biz story he would be comfortable sharing with us. Here it is. Feel free to share any comments to this posting or to share any stories of your own that we might be interested in reading.
Thanks, Ron.
I've run into Frankie Valli, "Mr. Four Seasons" (think "The Jersey Boys"), three times. Most recently, November 2016.
We were in NYC. He was taping a guest spot for the Joey Reynolds Show, on WABC.
And he remembered and recounted the first time we'd met, in June, 1978.
He was sitting with his wife a couple of rows behind me, in first-class on a DC 10, from Newark to Los Angeles. I was with A&M records at the time. Seeing me reading a trade paper (probably Radio & Records or Billboard), he came over, sat down, and spent the next 3 hours becoming my 'new best friend.'
His new record, the theme from the film, "Grease," was just becoming a big comeback hit so he was glad to tap my brain about radio airplay, how the chart listings worked, and more.
You remember the times: the walkman (even for cassettes), was not yet invented, and his conversation and enthusiasm sure beat the movie or the sterile airline headset musak.
I gave him my business card and he gave me two contact numbers -- one for his L.A. residence, the other for New Jersey.
Before landing, he returned to sit with his very angry wife whom he had ignored for most of the flight. I quietly chuckled to myself. Did not want to be in his shoes!
A few weeks later, I tried calling Frankie. Left word with the answering services on both numbers and never heard from him until I met him for the second time about a year later.
I was now living in L.A. and saw him at a big music biz party off of Coldwater Canyon (many celebs lived there)) at Charlie Minor's house. Charlie literally knew everybody and many recording artists were present that night -- a very 'Hollywood scene,' indeed.
Frankie remembered me and since there were many other singers present who were now hotter than him on the charts, he took refuge to hang out with me.
Again, I was his 'new best friend.' However, I was waiting for my date who was meeting me at the party after work. When she arrived, I politely introduced her to Frankie and found an excuse to leave that room with her (probably, "let me show you the house").
So, the third time was the charm, this photo with Frankie -- many thanks to my good friend Joey Reynolds. Now, if I can ever finish that book I've started...
Click here for Frankie Valli's "Grease." And click here if you want to send Ron a message through the web site. Can be either private or public.

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