Fri 12/13 @ 6:30 & 8:30PM
Sat 12/14 @ 6:30 & 8:30PM
You think teen idols just started with Justin Bieber? Good-looking singing teenagers were a hot commodity long before Bieber’s parents were even born.
Dark-haired heartthrob Frankie Avalon was only 17 when he had his first hit with “De De Dinah” in 1958. Like most teen idols, his success was compressed into only a couple of years, with his string of hits — which most memorably included “Venus,” “Bobby Sox to Stockings” and “Why.” It ended in 1960, although he had an afterlife starring with the late Annette Funicello in beach party movies in the early-mid ’60s.
Avalon may not have had the songwriting skills of his contemporaries Paul Anka or Neil Sedaka but he was better looking. And though he had a thin, nasal voice, he was a more gifted singer than another contemporary, the outrageously good-looking Fabian.
But Avalon, now 73, seems built for longevity. He recently celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary, and he’s still on the road. He’ll be at the Tangier Cabaret and apparently he’s still popular: he’s got four shows booked in two days.
Tickets are $40-$60, with a buffet $20 additional.
Akron, OH 44302