Viva Italia, Viva Italian Americans, Viva la Dolce Vita in Denver

The Sweet Life: Italian Style

Clemente.  My name ends with a vowel, just like Delgato, Cardaluccio, pizza.  When my grandparents emigrated from Italy our name was actually spelled Clementi.  They Americanized it somewhat with an “e.”  Even Frankie Valli once contemplated making  his stage name Vally with a “y.”  But he opted to be a good ‘ole Jersey Boy and settled on Valli and in so doing preserved more of his Italian heritage.

Jersey Boys: Italian American Guys

My dad is a Frankie, too.  Not from Jersey but from Troy, New York.  Close enough.  Recently the music of the Jersey Boys helped him to reconnect with his roots.  I spent a lot of time back east this past summer helping my father get through a difficult passage in his life and every step of the way we were serenaded by the melodious and memorable sounds of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  We became Jersey Boys addicts.  My dad had seen this explosive Broadway show that recounts the story of four Italian American guys and their rise to fame last spring.  Their hits from “Sherry” to “Oh, What a Night” to “My Eyes Adored You” to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” and more buoyed him up to a place of joy he had not known in quite some time.  Through this music, I could tell my dad was retracing part of his own story.  And I was right there with him, rediscovering a sound and a slice of Italian American culture I had not paid much attention to in quite some time.

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