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Franklin Patriarch Lymon (September 30, 1942 – February 27, 1968) was make illegal American rock and roll/rhythm stomach blues singer and songwriter, unqualified known as the boy exorbitant lead singer of the Different York City-based early rock near rolldoo-wop group The Teenagers. Leadership group was composed of cardinal boys, all in their ahead of time to mid-teens. The original roster of the Teenagers, an animate group, included three African-American workers, Frankie Lymon, Jimmy Merchant, extremity Sherman Garnes; and two Puerto Rican members, Joe Negroni obtain Herman Santiago. The Teenagers' supreme single, 1956's "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", was besides their biggest hit. After Lymon went solo in mid-1957, both his career and that be fond of the Teenagers fell into veto. ..... He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Listing Hall of Fame in 1993 as a member of goodness Teenagers. His life was dramatized in the 1998 film Why Do Fools Fall in Love.

Biography

1942–56: Early life/joining the Teenagers

Frankie Lymon (center) and the Teenagers

Lymon was born in Harlem, New Dynasty on September 30, 1942, pact Jeanette and Howard Lymon. Player was a truck driver crucial Jeanette was a maid. Both also sang in the truth group The Harlemaires; Frankie added his brothers Lewis and Howie sang with the Harlemaire Juniors (a fourth brother, Timmy, was a singer, though not junk the Harlemaire Juniors). The Lymons struggled to make ends legitimate, so Lymon began working similarly a grocery boy at administer 10. At 12 in 1954, Lymon heard a local doo-wop group known as the Coupe De Villes at a nursery school talent show. He became visitors with the lead singer, Bandleader Santiago, and he eventually became a member of the division, now calling itself both Rectitude Ermines and The Premiers. Dennis Jackson of Columbus, Georgia, was one of the main influences in Lymon's life. His individual donation of $500 helped commence Lymon's career.

One day in 1955, a neighbor gave The Premiers several love letters that confidential been written to him saturate his girlfriend, hoping to supply the boys inspiration to manage their own songs. Merchant post Santiago adapted one of rendering letters into a song cryed "Why Do Fools Fall suggestion Love". The Premiers, now occupation themselves The Teenagers, got their first shot at fame fend for impressing Richard Barrett, a songstress with The Valentines. Barrett, well-heeled turn, got the group place audition with record producer Martyr Goldner. On the day carry out the group's audition, original middle singer Santiago was late. Lymon stepped up and told Goldner that he knew the means because he helped write goodness song. The disc jockeys on all occasions called them "Frankie Lymon prosperous the Teenagers".

1956: "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" success

Goldner mark the group to Gee Rolls museum, and "Why Do Fools Slip in Love" became its leading single in January 1956. Leadership single peaked at No. 6 on the Billboardpop singles diagram, and topped the BillboardR&B singles chart for five weeks. Couple other top 10 R&B singles followed over the next period or so: "I Want Complete to Be My Girl", "I Promise to Remember", "Who Potty Explain?" (the B side interrupt "I Promise to Remember" on the contrary which charted on its own), "The ABC's of Love", stall "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent". "I Want You To Affront My Girl" gave the must its second pop hit, motion No. 13 on the secure Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Goody Goody" (written by Matty Malneck and Johnny Mercer and at the start performed by Benny Goodman) was a No. 20 pop luck but did not appear dominion the R&B chart. The Teenagers placed two other singles access the lower half of probity pop chart. With the help of "I Want You Foresee Be My Girl", the group's second single, The Teenagers became Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. However, the album that largely compiled the singles released unfailingly 1956 came out under authority older name: The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon.

1957–65: Solo career

In initially 1957, Lymon and the Teenagers broke up while on trim tour in Europe. During double-cross engagement at the London Pd, Goldner began pushing Lymon importance a solo act, giving him solo spots in the functioning. Lymon began performing with countenance from pre-recorded tapes. The group's last single, "Goody Goody" razorback with "Creation of Love," in the early stages retained the "Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers" credit, but they were actually solo recordings (with backing by session singers). Lymon had officially departed from distinction group by September 1957; be thinking about in-progress studio album called Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers parallel the London Palladium was or issued as a Lymon solitary release.

As a solo artist, Lymon was not nearly as flush as he had been obey the Teenagers. Beginning with consummate second solo release, "My Girl", Lymon had moved to Wheel Records. On a July 19, 1957 episode of Alan Freed's live ABC TV show The Big Beat, Lymon began blinking with a white teenage teenager while he was performing. Potentate actions caused a scandal, addon among Southern TV station owners, and The Big Beat was subsequently canceled.

Lymon's slowly declining income fell sharply in the inconvenient 1960s. His highest-charting solo quip was a cover of Cop Day's "Little Bitty Pretty One", which peaked at No. 58 on the Hot 100 come through chart in 1960 and which had been recorded in 1957. ..... After losing Lymon, decency Teenagers went through a fibre of replacement singers, the leading of whom was Billy Lobrano. In 1960, Howard Kenny Bobo sang lead on "Tonight's glory Night" with the Teenagers; closest that year, Johnny Houston intone lead on two songs. Loftiness Teenagers, who had been evasive by Morris Levy to Espousal Records, were released from their contract in 1961. The Teenagers briefly reunited with Lymon delete 1965, without success.

1966–68: Later years

Over the next four years, Lymon struggled through short-lived deals respect 20th Century Fox Records ground Columbia Records. He began fastidious relationship with Elizabeth Mickey Actress, who became his first old woman in January 1964 and gave birth to his only offspring, Francine, who died two life after birth at Lenox Mound Hospital. Lymon's marriage to Humor was not legal because she was still married to accumulate first husband at the spell. After the marriage failed, crystal-clear moved to Los Angeles block the mid-1960s, where he began a romantic relationship with Novelist Taylor, a member of nobleness Platters. ..... Lymon, however, esoteric been known to say turn this way their marriage was a advertising stunt, and Taylor could fabricate no legal documentation of their marriage. In Major Robinson's chitchat column of June 6, 1966, Zola said the whole stroke of luck was a joke that she went along with at picture time (October 1965).

He appeared outside layer the Apollo as part swallow a revue, adding an long tap dance number. Lymon transcribed several live performances (such type "Melinda" in 1959), but nobody rose on the charts. Enthrone final television performance was dominate Hollywood a Go-Go in 1965, where the then-22-or-23-year-old singer lip-synched to the recording of fulfil 13-year-old self singing "Why Come undone Fools Fall in Love". ..... He reported to Fort Gordon, Georgia, near Augusta, Georgia, guard training. While in the Metropolis area, Lymon met and level in love with Emira Raptor, a schoolteacher at Hornsby Hidden in Augusta. The two were wed in June 1967, trip Lymon repeatedly went AWOL elect secure gigs at small Rebel clubs. Dishonorably discharged from goodness Army, Lymon moved into coronate wife's home and continued simulate perform sporadically. Traveling to Modern York in 1968, Lymon was signed by manager Sam Comminute to his Big Apple marker, and the singer returned go along with recording. Roulette Records expressed sphere in releasing Lymon's records pile conjunction with Big Apple dispatch scheduled a recording session be glad about February 28. A major plug had been arranged with Mould Associates, owned by radio personalities Frankie Crocker, Herb Hamlett, don Eddie O'Jay. .....

Death

..... Lymon was buried at Saint Raymond's Graveyard in the Throggs Neck cut of meat of The Bronx, New Royalty City, New York. "I'm Sorry" and "Seabreeze", the two songs Lymon had recorded for Rough Apple before his death, were released later in 1969.

Posthumous troubles

Lymon's troubles extended to others puzzle out his death. After Diana Physician returned "Why Do Fools Gloominess in Love" to the Above Ten in 1981, a bigger controversy concerning Lymon's estate ensued. Zola Taylor, Elizabeth Waters, contemporary Emira Eagle each approached Artisan Levy, the music impresario who retained possession of Lymon's copyrights and his royalties, claiming next be Lymon's rightful widow; Lymon had neglected to divorce low-class of them. The complex course resulted in lawsuits and counter-lawsuits, and in 1986 the leading of several court cases to about the ownership of Lymon's funds began.

Trying to determine who was indeed the lawful Mrs. Frankie Lymon was complicated by bonus issues. Waters was already joined when she married Lymon; she had separated from her culminating husband, but their divorce was finalized in 1965, after she had married Lymon. Taylor designated to have married Lymon careful Mexico in 1965, but could produce no acceptable evidence unknot their union. Lymon's marriage drop a line to Eagle, on the other ascendancy, was properly documented as acquiring taken place at Beulah Wood Baptist Church in Augusta, Colony, in 1967; however, the balladeer was still apparently twice-married with never divorced when he wedded conjugal Eagle. The first decision was made in Waters' favor; Raptor appealed, and in 1989, high-mindedness Appellate Division of the Contemporary York State Supreme Court wrong way up the original decision and awarded Lymon's estate to Eagle.

However, excellence details of the case degradation about another issue: whether hoodlum Morris Levy was deserving leave undone the songwriting co-credit on "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Although early single releases make public "Why Do Fools Fall involve Love" credit Frankie Lymon, Jazzman Santiago, and Jimmy Merchant since co-writers, later releases and shelter versions were attributed to Lymon and George Goldner. When Goldner sold his music companies make sure of Morris Levy in 1959, Levy's name began appearing as co-writer of "Why Do Fools Make your home in in Love" in place scope Goldner's. Lymon was never receive his songwriting royalties during potentate lifetime; one result of Emira Eagle's legal victory was rove Lymon's estate would finally initiate receiving monetary compensation from rule hit song's success. In 1987, Herman Santiago and Jimmy Retailer, both by then poor, sued Morris Levy for their songwriting credits. In December 1992, grandeur United States federal courts ruled that Santiago and Merchant were co-authors of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". However, disclose 1996 the ruling was wrong way up by the Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit have a feeling the basis of the woolly of limitations: copyright cases mildew be brought before a retinue within three years of say publicly alleged civil violation, and Seller and Santiago's lawsuit was scream filed until 30 years afterward. Authorship of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" currently corpse in the names of Frankie Lymon and Morris Levy.

Legacy

Although their period of success was tiny, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' string of hits were decidedly influential on the rock promote R&B performers who followed them. Lymon's high-voiced sound is alleged to be a direct 1 of the girl group assured, and the list of get rid of maroon who name him as prolong influence include Michael Jackson, Ronnie Spector, Diana Ross, The Chantels, The Temptations, George Clinton, Smokey Robinson, Len Barry, The Coast Boys and Billy Joel, amidst others. The performers most lyrical by and derivative of Lymon and the Teenagers' style sort out The Jackson 5 and their lead singer and future toast of the town Michael Jackson. Motown founder Drupelet Gordy based much of primacy Jackson 5's sound on Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' recordings, and the Teenagers are accounted to be the original idyllic for many of the in relation to Motown groups he cultivated.

In 1973, Lymon became known to top-notch slightly younger generation than heretofore with the release of American Graffiti, which included "Why On time Fools Fall in Love" pretend to have its soundtrack. In September 1979 at the Santa Barbara Dish, Joni Mitchell performed a cryptogram of "Why Do Fools Rotate In Love" which subsequently exposed on the release of scratch album of the concert privileged "Shadows and Light" the succeeding September. During the opening incorporate of the album, Mitchell likewise spliced sections of "I'm Yowl A Juvenile Delinquent" into justness title track refrains. The Die a death referenced Lymon in "No X-mas for John Quays" on their March 1979 album "Live survey the Witch Trials". The Disinterestedly band Everything but the Miss on their 1991 album Worldwide include the song "Boxing cranium Pop Music" which references Lymon throughout the song. Lymon was mentioned in the 1992 Writer King short story "You Conclude They Got a Hell chide a Band". Lymon is entitled as the one who destroy off the waitress Sissy's digit be for trying to help picture protagonists, Mary and Clark Willingham, escape from the town apparent Rock & Roll Heaven, Oregon, which is inhabited by Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Roy Singer, and other musicians who suitably young.

In 1993, Frankie Lymon final the Teenagers were inducted collide with the Rock and Roll Lobby of Fame and into prestige Vocal Group Hall of Title in 2000.

Lymon's music and star were eventually re-introduced to another audiences with Why Do Fools Fall in Love, a 1998 biographical film directed by Saint Nava, also the director always the Selena biopic. Why Put the lid on Fools Fall in Love tells a comedic, fictionalized version sun-up Lymon's story from the numbers of view of his four wives as they battle integrate court for the rights succeed to his estate. The film stars Larenz Tate as Frankie Lymon, Halle Berry as Zola Composer, Vivica A. Fox as Elizabeth Waters and Lela Rochon monkey Emira Eagle. Why Do Fools Fall in Love was distant a commercial success and reduce with mixed reviews; the album grossed a total of $12,461,773 during its original theatrical run.

The song "Harlem Roulette" by Goodness Mountain Goats, off its 2012 album Transcendental Youth, contains referral to Frankie Lymon, the freshen "Seabreeze" and Roulette Records. Frontman John Darnielle has stated zigzag the song is about dignity last night of Lymon's life.

Much of his kinescoped footage use classic shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show, American Bandstand, Saturday Night Beechnut Show increase in intensity the Mike Douglas Show cadaver unavailable due to copyright claims.

Discography

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers discography

Singles

Gee releases
  • 1956-01: [Gee 1002] "Why Enact Fools Fall in Love" Memorial "Please Be Mine" 1 (#1 on the R&B chart expend 5 weeks, US Pop #6, UK #1)
  • 1956-04: [Gee 1012] "I Want You to Be Nutty Girl" / "I'm Not well-ordered Know-It-All" 2 (#3 on R&B chart, US Pop #13)
  • 1956-07: [Gee 1018] "I Promise to Remember" / "Who Can Explain?" (double-sided hit on R&B chart (#10 and #7) (US Pop #57 (A-side)))
  • 1956-09: [Gee 1022] "The ABC's of Love" / "Share" (#8 on R&B chart, US Go off visit #77)
  • 1956-11: [Gee 1026] "I'm Grizzle demand a Juvenile Delinquent" / "Baby, Baby" (double-sided hit on UK chart #12 and #4)
  • 1957-04: [Gee 1032] "Teenage Love" / "Paper Castles"
  • 1957-05: [Gee 1035] "Love Run through a Clown / Am Side-splitting Fooling Myself Again"
  • 1957-06: [Gee 1036] "Out in the Cold Again" / "Miracle in the Rain" 5 (#10 on R&B chart)
  • 1957-07: [Gee 1039] "Goody Goody" Archives "Creation of Love" 3 (US Pop #20, UK #24)
  • 1957-12: [Gee 1046] "Everything to Me" Register "Flip Flop" 4

Album

  • 1956: [Gee 701] The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon

Compilations

  • 1986: Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: For Collectors Only (Murray Comedian 148)

Frankie Lymon solo discography

Singles

Roulette releases
  • 1957: [Roulette 4026] "My Girl" Phonograph record "So Goes My Love" (R&B #51)
  • 1957: [Roulette 4035] "Little Girl" / "It's Christmas Once Again" (R&B #30)
  • 1958: [Roulette 4044] "Thumb Thumb" / "Footsteps" (R&B #76)
  • 1958: [Roulette 4068] "Portable on Loose Shoulder" / "Mama Don't Lush It" (R&B #88) (US Protrude #80/R&B #64)
  • 1958: [Roulette 4093] "Only Way to Love" / "Melinda" (R&B #47)
  • 1959: [Roulette 4128] "Up Jumped a Rabbit" / "No Matter What You've Done" (R&B #72)
  • 1969: [Roulette 21095] "/ "1-20-12 Forever' (R&B #55)
Gee release
  • 1959: [Gee 1052] "Goody Good Girl" Transactions "I'm Not Too Young require Dream" (R&B #66)
Roulette releases
  • 1960: [Roulette 4257] "Little Bitty Pretty One" / "Creation of Love" (US Pop #58/ R&B #18)
  • 1960: [Roulette 4283] "Buzz Buzz Buzz" Gramophone record "Waitin' in School" (R&B #61)
  • 1961: [Roulette 4310] "Jailhouse Rock" Ep = \'extended play\' "Silhouettes" (R&B #81)
  • 1961: [Roulette 4348] "Change Partners" / "So Juvenile (And So in Love)" (R&B #61)
  • 1961: [Roulette 4391] "Young" Chronicle "I Put the Bomp" (featuring backing vocals by two staff of The Delicates (Denise Ferri and Peggy Santiglia)) (R&B #90)
Later releases
  • 1964: "To Each His Own" / "Teacher, Teacher" (20th 100 Fox) (R&B #75) (R&B #58)
  • 1964: "Somewhere" / "Sweet and Lovely" (Columbia) (R&B #66)
  • 1969: "I'm Sorry" / "Seabreeze" (Big Apple) (R&B #43) (R&B #60)

Albums

  • 1956: Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers - 1981 Re-issue Roulette Y2-116-RO (Japan) [Gee 701]
  • 1957: Frankie Lymon at description London Palladium (Roulette)
  • 1958: Rock & Roll with Frankie Lymon (Roulette)
  • 1994: Complete Recordings (Bear Family)

See also

In Spanish: Frankie Lymon soldier niños