'Just too good to be true': 1960s, '70s music icon to be knighted in Naples next month
A member of New Jersey music royalty will soon be a knight.
Frankie Valli in February will join 12 Florida residents when they become honorary knights or dames in a Feb. 11 ceremony at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, along the Gulf of Mexico.
Valli, 89, achieved fame with his group The Four Seasons in the 1960s with hits like "Walk Like a Man,” “Sherry,” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry." Valli and The Four Seasons were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Here's what to know about the ceremony.
Will King Charles attend?
No. The Royal Order of Francis will induct Valli and the others. The Royal Order is "a prestigious Order established by the Royal House of Bourbon two centuries ago, honors individuals in various fields including business, science, and education for their significant contributions to society," a news release said announcing the event.
"Valli’s induction into Knighthood is in recognition of his extensive charitable work benefiting children, AIDS, and cancer research, as well as numerous national and local charities over the past five decades," the news release continued.
Who else will receive the honor
Here's the other 12 men and women being Inducted as Knights and Dames:
David Gibbons ― He's been involved with various charities in Naples for years. Gibbons, along with his wife Patricia, became trustees for the Naples Children & Education Foundation, the organization behind the annual Naples Winter Wine Festival. She died from COVID-19 in 2020 and the couple was married for nearly 55 years.
Heidi Huizenga ― She serves on the Board of Directors for the Naples Zoo. Huizenga is chairwoman of Huizenga Capital Management, LLC and serves or has served on the boards of hospitals, colleges, orchestras and more.
Denise Cobb ― One of the original CNN news anchors, Cobb and husband Brian have been involved in charities including the NCEF and have worked on the Naples Winter Wine Festival since the first one in 2001. She's also served on various Southwest Florida boards, including the Guadalupe Center of Immokalee and the Boys and Girls Club of Collier County.
Ralph Stayer ― The longtime Naples resident, along with his wife Shelly Stayer, have been involved in charities for years and in late 2023 acquired a minority stake in the Milwaukee Brewers Major League Baseball franchise. Ralph Stayer retired as Johnsonville Foods CEO in 2015 after spending years working for the company his parents ― Ralph F. and Alice Stayer ― founded in 1945 in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin.
Rick Inatome ― A member of the Computer Hall of Fame and a former Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year, Inatome is one of the architects of the digital age after working with the founders of companies such as Apple and Microsoft in the companies' early years. And since 2020 he's been chairman of the board for Léman Manhattan Preparatory School in New York City. A Detroit native, Inatome received his bachelor's degree from Michigan State University.
Others receiving the honor: George Keys of Naples; William J. Albanese or Marco Island; Brian Wroblewski of Estero; Peter Caparo of Miami Beach; Patrick Marino of Boca Raton; Ronald Sachs of Tallahassee; and Nicholas Mastroianni of Tequesta.
Plan ahead: Jim Croce songs endure decades later, thanks to son A.J.
Can anyone attend the ceremony
A limited number of seats are available. For reservations and more information, contact Beth Huck at (571) 639-9010 or via email at Beth@SalamoneAssociatesllc.com.
The event will be held at The Ritz-Carlton, 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road N. No time for the event was available.
Proceeds from the event are to benefit the charitable work of the Royal Order of Francis I.
What is the Royal Order of Francis I
It was "an extinct order of merit of the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, which was annexed in 1861 by the King of Italy (until 1860 King of Piedmont and Sardinia)," according to Wikipedia.
"It has been revived by Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, as an award for services to charity and inter-religious understanding and includes a number of non-Roman Catholic statesmen and stateswomen among its membership."
The Royal Order was founded in 1829.
"The Royal Order of Francis I has never been exclusively Roman Catholic in origin and its knights and dames need not profess the Roman Catholic Faith, although they are expected to participate in the humanitarian and charitable activities of the dynastic orders of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicilies," the Royal Order's website said.
"Today membership of this Order includes senior figures from all Christian denominations, as well as Muslims and Jews."
Others who have received the Royal Order honor
Hundreds have been honored, including Margaret Thatcher, former British prime minister; and Desmond Tutu, a South African Anglican bishop and theologian known for his anti-apartheid and humanitarian work.
Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and News-Press. Follow him on Instagram and Threads @lacrossewriter and on X (formerly Twitter) @NDN_dosborn.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Jersey boy Frankie Valli to be knighted in Naples: What to know
