Jean Valli

Jean Valli (born May 13, 1926) is an American hillbilly music singer.^[1] Born Jean Vadala in on 13 May 1926,^[1] she was raised in Carbondale, Pennsylvania and started playing country-western music and yodeling at age 9 with her own radio show at age 13.^[2] By age 17, she was not only an entertainer but also a promoter recruiting top country music stars to shows she promoted.^[2] After high school she moved to Syracuse, New York where she got a job performing on country station WOLS. She later toured New York State including with country singer Hank Williams Sr.^[3]

In the early 1950s she performed with Milton Berle when he hired her for his Kentucky Mountaineering Act, touring with him in the summer and playing clubs in Las Vegas,^[2] as well as being featured on Berle's TV show for five years.^[4] She played bass fiddle and guitar and wrote country songs,^[5] and was considered one of the top female yodelers.^[4] Also, she was known to be able to impersonate other artists such as Lefty Frizzell, Kitty Wells, and Wanda Jackson.^[2] In 1970, she toured with Grand Ole Opry type country music shows and fairs.^[6] She was an active performer around the same time as June Valli, which caused some mix-ups.^[7]

Valli took on a teenage singer named Francesco "Frankie" Castelluccio as a protege in 1953. At a meeting with record producers, Valli introduced Castelluccio as her brother, thus giving Castelluccio his stage name, Frankie Valli.^[5][8][3]

Discography

• 1968 Since You've Been Gone (Country Bell 71272)^[9] (ABC 11448)^{[better source needed]}
• 1974 The World's About To Lose (It's Biggest Fool) (Stop ST-154)