Bob Crewe, the legendary songwriter and producer portrayed in the movie The Jersey Boys, has died at age 82.
Crewe discovered The Four Seasons and co-wrote most of their hits with Bob Gaudio including ‘Walk Like A Man’, ‘Let’s Hang On’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ and ‘Dawn (Go Away)’. He also wrote Franki Valli’s solo hit ‘My Eyes Adored You’ as well as ‘Lady Marmalade’ for LaBelle, ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’ for The Walker Brothers and ‘Jenny Take A Ride’ for Detroit Wheels.
Just a few weeks ago Bob Gaudio spoke to Noise11 and explained The Four Seasons relationship with Bob Crewe. “We made a deal with Bob,” Gaudio said. “We took a job with him pretty much 9 to 5 doing studio work. We got a salary. We worked nights doing the clubs in Newark. He heard some of my songwriting. We spent the year doing background work and studio work and finally got to the point where we said ‘hey, its our turn’. And pretty much, as in the show, he said “so write a hit’ so I did I guess. From ‘Sherrie’ we struck up a writing rapport and from ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ and on (give or take a few that I didn’t write with Bob like ‘Oh What A Night’ and ‘Who Loves You’ which I wrote with my wife Judy Parker) we pretty much did it all together’.
Bob Crewe was an established hit maker before The Four Seasons came along. “Bob is an amazing, talented guy and has lots of successes going back to the late 50s,” he said. “He produced a record called ‘Lucky Ladybug’ for Billy and Lillie if you want to go back that far”.
The story of Bob Crewe was a major part of the stage show and movie The Jersey Boys.
At Bob Crewe’s official website, the announcement of Bob’s death said he “died peacefully, with his brother Dan Crewe by his side, on Wednesday, September 11, 2014 in Scarborough, Maine”.
Donations can be made in Bob’s name to the Maine College of Art Scholarship Fund, the University of Southern Maine School of Music Scholarship Fund, or The Frannie Peabody Center, Portland, Maine.
Listen to the Noise11 Bob Gaudio interview
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