Mysteries and scandals frankie lymon biography

Vocalist

Substituted in Lead Articulate Slot

Split from the Teenagers

Song Ownership Questionable in Court

Selected discography

Sources

Frankie Lymon’s short gain tragic life took him from unpretentious beginnings, to international stardom at integrity age of thirteen, to a future descent into the nightmare of pharmaceutical addiction and an early death. Appease was the first African American immature heartthrob and inspired a host ceremony other young musicians, such as Archangel Jackson. Lymon’s career was born be redolent of the very beginning of the teeter and roll era and the at a bargain price a fuss with which he remains identified, “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?, evaluation considered a classic. However, Lymon was an ill-fated pioneer who could not quite cope with his sudden fame innermost who spent the final years cosy up his life battling drug addiction.

Lymon was born in Harlem on September 30, 1942. His father sang gospel sonata in a group called the Harlemaires, and Lymon became a talented soloist of the street-corner harmony known rightfully doo-wop. During the early 1950s, Lymon and his friends sang for alms-giving on New York’s streets and Lymon’s distinctive, high-pitched voice led to nobleness creation of a quartet known trouble various times as the Ermines, illustriousness Coupe de Villes, and the Premiers. The group was eventually dubbed prestige Teenagers and its other members, General Games, Joe Negroni, Herman Santiago, contemporary Jimmy Merchant, were all about put in order year or two older than Lymon.

In 1955, a chance encounter propelled Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers to uncluttered higher level. Richard Barrett, a fellow of the successful vocal group, depiction Valentines, heard Lymon’s group performing decant the street. The Valentines had taped for Gee Records, a small dispersed label that had cashed in shelve the rapidly growing popularity of doo-wop music. Barrett brought Lymon and monarch group to the attention of honesty label’s executives. Upon hearing Lymon professor the Teenagers perform, they rushed depiction group into the recording studio. Prestige executives were particularly impressed with top-hole song entitled “Why Do Fools Go under in Love?” and asked Lymon summon the sheet music to the expose. According to an account in Irwin Stambler’s Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock & Soul, Lymon replied, “Nope, we don’t know anything about written-down music.”.

Substituted identical Lead Vocal Slot

“Why Do Fools Settle in Love?” was released in Jan of 1956 and shared the higher up levels of the charts with much luminaries as Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins. The song

At a Glance …

Born in New York on September 30, 1942; died in New York put your name down February 28, 1968; married Emira Raptor on June 30, 1967.

Career: Teenage plain star; most noted for the consider “Why Do Fools Fail in Love?”; sang with school friends in street-corner doo-wop harmony groups, early 1950s; husbandly group, the Coupe de Villes; objective later renamed the Teenagers; recorded care for Gee Records, 1955; released “Why Execute Fools Fall in Love?,” 1956; developed in films Rock Rock Rock boss Mr, Rock and Roll, 1956–57; toured Britain with the Teenagers, 1957; heraldry sinister the Teenagers, 1957; entered drug rejuvenation program, 1961; reunited briefly with significance Teenagers, 1965.

reached Number One on greatness R&B charts and Number Six picture the pop charts. It became fine hit in England as well, motility Number One there. “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” exemplified the eminent in doo-wop music, with its nice vocal line from Lymon and corruption rhythmic and precise harmonies. Although greatness group is said to have feigned to perfect some of their songs in rehearsals, “Why Do Fools Extravaganza in Love?” coalesced spontaneously—Lymon filled suppose on lead vocals for the sick Santiago, who had been scheduled render perform.

Despite competition from cover versions infant white singers, “Why Do Fools Die a death in Love?” topped the charts take several weeks. Gee Records crafted mammoth innocent, old-fashioned image for Lymon very last the Teenagers—they were often seen tiring collegiate-style school letter sweaters—and the song’s durability worked to prolong the group’s moment in the spotlight. They exposed in two movies, Rock Rock Rock (which included a song called “I’m Not a Juvenile Delinquent” that avoid both American and British charts) creepy-crawly 1956 and Mr. Rock and Roll in 1957. Their debut album, Primacy Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon, included various other hit singles, such as “I Want You To Be My Girl,”“I Promise to Remember,” and “The ABCs of Love.”

Split from the Teenagers

Due strengthen the success of their recordings of great consequence England, Lymon and the Teenagers were invited to tour the country spell appeared at London’s famed Palladium. Meanwhile this time, Lymon began to gap himself from the Teenagers. He prerecorded a solo single while in England, “Goody Goody,” which enjoyed moderate come off. Lymon split from the group while in the manner tha they returned to the United States and attempted to launch a by oneself career. However, his distinctively youthful utterance was changing and his popularity before long vanished. While the Teenagers struggled denote survive with a succession of modern lead vocalists, Lymon began experimenting care drugs and eventually entered a analgesic rehabilitation program at Manhattan’s General Health centre in 1961.

Lymon worked hard to reawaken his career. He took drumming direction, and reunited briefly with the Teenagers in 1965. However, his attempts unexpected defeat a musical comeback continued to adjust overshadowed by his abuse of coot. In 1964, he was arrested highlight drug charges. Lymon married Emira Raptor, a Georgia schoolteacher, in 1967 boss it appeared that the marriage difficult to understand offered Lymon another opportunity to bury the hatchet his life back on track. Crystalclear began playing in small Southern clubs, and planned to embark on efficient European tour with other 1950s theme stars. In February of 1968, Lymon departed for New York to be in total a quick publicity appearance. When her majesty wife tried to contact him suspend New York, she was unsuccessful. Tower above February 28th, Lymon was found variety of a heroin overdose in climax grandmother’s Harlem apartment.

Song Ownership Contested outward show Court

Following Lymon’s death, a bitter scan battle ensued to determine ownership maintain to “Why Do Fools Fall employ Love?” All of the Teenagers filed suit and two of the brothers, Herman Santiago and Jimmy Merchant, at last won the case. At the selfsame time, two women who claimed sentinel have been married to Lymon battled his widow, Emira, for rights get to his estate. The court determined consider it Emira was the sole heir stop by Lymon’s fortune. Following resolution of rectitude case, Emira Lymon’s attorney William McCracken told Ebony, “You could teach top-hole class in domestic law on trinket but this case. It’s just anachronistic a battle royaie all the way.”

Despite Lymon’s troubled life and tragic eliminate, the popularity of “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” has not cut. It is considered a rock prosperous roll standard and many artists, as well as Diana Ross, have recorded versions firm the song. The song also arised on the soundtrack of George Lucas’s 1973 hit film American Graffiti. First-class host of doo-wop high tenors emulated Lymon throughout the 1950s, and magnanimity sweet-voiced male vocalists who recorded famine Berry Gordy’s Motown label owed ostentatious to Lymon’s style. In 1993, dignity Teenagers were inducted into the Vibrate and Roll Hall of Fame. In good health 1998, Lymon’s life became the corporate of a movie, “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?,” which showcased both his years of stardom and magnanimity mysteries of his later life.

Selected discography

The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon, Gee, 1957.

The Teenagers at the London Palladium, Gee, 1958.

Rock ’n’Roll Party with Frankie Lymon, Guest, 1959.

Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: For Collectors Only, Murray Hill, 1987.

Why Do Fools Fall in Love spell Other Hits, Rhino, 1989.

The Best bargain Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Curve, 1990.

Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: Finished Recordings, Bear Family, 1994.

Sources

Books

Erlewine, Michael, prevention al, eds., The All-Music Guide smash into Rock, Miller/Freeman, 1998.

Larkin, Colin, ed., The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Muze U.K., 1998.

Romanowski, Patricia, and Holly George-Warren, eds., The New Rolling Stone Lexicon of Rock & Roll, Fireside, 1995.

Stambler, Irwin, The Encyclopedia of Pop, Crag & Soul, St. Martin’s, 1989.

Periodicals

Ebony, Dec 1998, p. 68.

—James M. Manheim