Born Francis Thomas Avallone, September 18, 1939 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Avalon was the first of the manufactured teen idols, before Fabian and Bobby Rydell and the host of others to become popular while Elvis, in the Army, did his time in Germany.

Avalon, unlike the other teen idols of the time, Avalon had a real musical background to go with the pretty-boy looks and was playing trumpet and singing backup for Andy Martin in a local band. In 1968, impresario Bob Marcucci was more impressed with Avalon than with Martin and quickly had Avalon sign a management contract.