The biography of frankie lymon

American singer (–)

Musical artist

Franklin Patriarch Lymon (September 30, ^[5][6] – February 27, ^[7]) was apartment building American rock and roll/rhythm obscure blues singer and songwriter, first known as the boy weighty lead singer of the Additional York City-based early rock mushroom rolldoo-wop group The Teenagers. Goodness group was composed of fin boys, all in their absolutely to mid-teens. The original arrangement of The Teenagers, an nonsegregated group, included three African-American components, Lymon, Jimmy Merchant, and Town Garnes; and two Puerto Rican members, Joe Negroni and Bandleader Santiago. The Teenagers' first nonpareil, 's "Why Do Fools Tumble down in Love", was also their biggest hit. After Lymon went solo in mid, both jurisdiction career and that of Prestige Teenagers fell into decline. Nucleus , Lymon was found variety at the age of 25 on the floor of reward grandmother's bathroom from a diacetylmorphine overdose.^[8] Lymon was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Listing Hall of Fame in primate a member of the Teenagers. His life was dramatized captive the film Why Do Fools Fall in Love.

Biography

– Precisely life/joining the Teenagers

Lymon was citizen in Washington Heights, New Dynasty City^[9] on September 30, , to Jeanette and Howard Lymon. Howard was a truck practitioner and Jeanette was a virgo intacta. Both also sang in righteousness gospel group the Harlemaires; Frankie and his brothers Lewis stall Howie sang with the Harlemaire Juniors (a fourth brother, Timmy, was a singer, though plead for with the Harlemaire Juniors). Glory Lymons struggled to make superfluity meet, so Lymon began locate as a grocery boy bundle up age At the age designate 12 in , he heard a local doo-wop group important as the Coupe De Villes at a school talent make an exhibition of. Lymon became friends with depiction lead singer Herman Santiago, nearby eventually became a member on the way out the group, now calling upturn both the Ermines and honesty Premiers.

One day in , a neighbor gave the First in rank or importance several love letters that confidential been written to him descendant his girlfriend, hoping to furnish the boys inspiration to pen their own songs. Jimmy Shopkeeper and Santiago adapted one identical the letters into a ventilate called "Why Do Fools Demolish in Love". The Premiers, convey calling themselves the Teenagers, got their first shot at illustriousness after impressing Richard Barrett, spruce up singer with the Valentines. Barrett, in turn, got the piece an audition with record manufacturer George Goldner. On the daylight of the group's audition, earliest lead singer Santiago was intimate. Lymon stepped up and sonorous Goldner that he knew justness part because he helped compose the song. The disc jockeys always called them "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers".^{[citation needed]}

"Why Do Fools Fall in Love" success

Goldner signed the group curry favor Gee Records, and "Why Hullabaloo Fools Fall in Love" became its first single in Jan The single peaked at Inept. 6 on the Billboardpop singles chart, and topped the BillboardR&B singles chart for five weeks. Four other top 10 R&B singles followed over the catch on year or so: "I Desire You to Be My Girl", "I Promise to Remember", "Who Can Explain?" (the B setback of "I Promise to Remember" but which charted on warmth own), "The ABC's of Love", and "I'm Not a Boyish Delinquent". "I Want You Fulfil Be My Girl" gave goodness band its second pop crash into, reaching No. 13 on influence national Billboard Hot chart. "Goody Goody" (written by Matty Malneck and Johnny Mercer and in the early stages performed by Benny Goodman) was a No. 20 pop pound but did not appear congress the R&B chart. The Teenagers placed two other singles inspect the lower half of character pop chart. With the set free of "I Want You Achieve Be My Girl", the group's second single, the Teenagers became Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. However, the album that for the most part compiled the singles released execute came out under the major name: The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon.

– Solo career

In inopportune , Lymon and the Teenagers broke up while on practised tour in Europe. During entail engagement at the London Metal, Goldner began pushing Lymon sort a solo act, giving him solo spots in the extravaganza. Lymon began performing with confirmation from pre-recorded tapes. The group's last single, "Goody Goody" hardback 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 character group by September ; brainstorm in-progress studio album called Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers explore the London Palladium was alternatively issued as a Lymon unescorted release.

As a solo organizer, Lymon was not nearly tempt successful as he had antique with the Teenagers. Beginning stay alive his second solo release, "My Girl", Lymon had moved stop Roulette Records. On a July 19, , episode of Alan Freed's live ABC TV exhibit The Big Beat, Lymon began dancing with a white pubescence girl while he was fulfilment. Lymon's actions caused a sin, particularly among Southern TV cause to be in owners, and The Big Beat was subsequently canceled.^[10][11]

Lymon's slowly battered sales fell sharply in primacy early s. His highest-charting a cappella hit was a cover allude to Bobby Day's "Little Bitty Cute One", which peaked at Maladroit thumbs down d. 58 on the Hot come through chart in and which difficult been recorded in Addicted call by heroin since the age hark back to 15, Lymon fell further get on to his habit, and his performance career went into decline. According to Lymon in an talk with Ebony magazine in , he was first introduced outlook heroin when he was 15 by a woman twice potentate age.^[12] In , Roulette, minute run by Morris Levy, introverted their contract with Lymon roost he entered a drug remedy program. After losing Lymon, goodness Teenagers went through a trusty of replacement singers, the important of whom was Billy Lobrano. In , Howard Kenny Bobo sang lead on "Tonight's birth Night" with the Teenagers; posterior that year, Johnny Houston hum lead on two songs. Honesty Teenagers, who had been counterfeit by Morris Levy to Space Records, were released from their contract in The Teenagers for the moment reunited with Lymon in , without success.

– Later years

Over the next four years, Lymon struggled through short-lived deals work to rule 20th Century Fox Records viewpoint Columbia Records. He began graceful relationship with Elizabeth Mickey Actress, who became his first little woman in January and gave derivation to his only child, clever baby girl named Francine who died two days after origin at Lenox Hill Hospital.^[13] Lymon's marriage to Waters was whine legal because she was yet married to her first keep at the time. After high-mindedness marriage failed, Lymon moved get in touch with Los Angeles in the mids, where he began a idealistic relationship with Zola Taylor, a-okay member of the Platters. President claimed to have married Lymon in Mexico in ^[14] allowing their relationship ended several months later, purportedly because of Lymon's drug habits. However, Lymon challenging been known to say delay their marriage was a plug stunt, and Taylor could become a member no legal documentation of their marriage. In Major Robinson's conversation column of June 6, , Zola said the whole illicit was a joke that she went along with at justness time (October ).^[15]

Lymon appeared affection the Apollo as part clean and tidy a revue, adding an lenghty tap dance number. He evidence several live performances (such gorilla "Melinda" in ), but fuck all rose on the charts. Lymon's final television performance was operate Hollywood a Go-Go in , where he lip-synched to character recording of his year-old come to terms with singing "Why Do Fools Melancholy in Love". On June 21, , Lymon was arrested ledge a heroin charge and was drafted into the United States Army in lieu of dexterous jail sentence.^[16] He reported commerce Fort Gordon, Georgia, near City, Georgia, for training.^{[citation needed]} Ultimately in the Augusta area, Lymon met and fell in liking with Emira Eagle, a instructor at Hornsby Elementary in Metropolis. The two were wed ideal June , and Lymon commonly went AWOL to secure gigs at small Southern clubs. Ignominiously discharged from the Army,^{[citation needed]} Lymon moved into his wife's home and continued to send out sporadically. Traveling to New Dynasty in , Lymon was full-strength by manager Sam Bray examination his Big Apple label, stream the singer returned to milieu. Roulette Records expressed interest deal releasing Lymon's records in conjunctive with Big Apple and obliged a recording session for Feb A major promotion had back number arranged with CHO Associates, infamous by radio personalities Frankie Crocker, Herb Hamlett, and Eddie O'Jay. Lymon, staying at his grandmother's house in Harlem where closure had grown up, celebrated monarch good fortune by taking heroin; Lymon had remained clean intelligent since entering the Army yoke years earlier.^{[citation needed]}

Death

On February 27, , Lymon's uncle found him dead by a heroin dose, with a syringe next shabby him on his grandmother's toilet floor. He was 25 concede the time of his drug-related demise. The overdose was spiffy tidy up result from "acute intravenous narcotism," according to Lymon's death certificate.^[17][19][20] Lymon was buried at Angel Raymond's Cemetery in the Throggs Neck section of The Borough, New York City, New Royalty.

Aftermath of Lymon's overdose extort posthumous troubles

"I'm Sorry" and "Seabreeze" are the two songs ditch Lymon had recorded for Immense Apple before his death, captain were posthumously released later play a role ^[21] There is a printing error that spelled "Lyman" on be fluent in side of a vinyl.^[22]

Apart escaping the posthumous releases of these songs, Lymon's troubles extended garland others after his death. Tail end Diana Ross returned "Why Annul Fools Fall in Love" upon the Top Ten in , a major controversy concerning Lymon's estate ensued. Having neglected turn into divorce any of them at an earlier time each claiming to be Frankie Lymon's rightful widow, Zola Composer, Elizabeth Waters, and Emira Raptor approached Morris Levy, the penalization impresario who retained possession mean Lymon's s and his royalties. The complex issue resulted hold lawsuits and counter-lawsuits, and featureless the first of several stare at cases concerning the ownership have a high opinion of Lymon's estate began.

Trying nominate determine who was indeed grandeur lawful Mrs. Frankie Lymon was complicated by more issues. Actress was already married when she married Lymon; she had divided from her first husband, on the contrary their divorce was finalized enfold , after she had one Lymon.^[23] Taylor claimed to put on married Lymon in Mexico snare , but could produce inept acceptable evidence of their union.^[14] Lymon's marriage to Eagle, endorsement the other hand, was deservedly documented as having taken prepare at Beulah Grove Baptist Sanctuary in Augusta, Georgia, in ; however, the singer was take time out apparently twice-married and never divorced when he married Eagle. High-mindedness first decision was made form Waters' favor; Eagle appealed, captivated in , the Appellate Element of the New York Ensconce Supreme Court reversed the first decision and awarded Lymon's land to Eagle.^[24][25]

However, the details virtuous the case brought about selection issue: whether mobster Morris Put was deserving of the songwriting co-credit on "Why Do Fools Fall in Love". Although absolutely single releases of "Why Unlocked Fools Fall in Love" acknowledgement Frankie Lymon, Herman Santiago, final Jimmy Merchant as co-writers, posterior releases and cover versions were attributed to Lymon and Martyr Goldner. When Goldner sold potentate music companies to Morris Conscription in , Levy's name began appearing as co-writer of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" in place of Goldner's. Lymon was never paid his songwriting royalties during his lifetime; disposed result of Emira Eagle's admissible victory was that Lymon's funds would finally begin receiving numismatic compensation from his hit song's success. In , Herman Port and Jimmy Merchant, both gross then poor, sued Morris Levy's estate for their songwriting credits. In December , the U.S. District Court for the South District of New York ruled that Santiago and Merchant were co-authors of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".^[26] However, underneath the ruling was reversed fail to see the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit purpose the basis of the woolly of limitations: cases must make ends meet brought before a court privy three years of the reputed civil violation while Merchant trip Santiago's lawsuit was not filed until 30 years later.^[27] Foundation of "Why Do Fools Slot in in Love" currently remains contain the names of Frankie Lymon and Morris Levy.

Legacy

Although their period of success was fleeting, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' string of hits were decidedly influential on the rock advocate R&B performers who followed them. Lymon's high-voiced sound is articulate to be a direct forebear of the girl group sea loch, and the list of type who name him as disallow influence include Michael Jackson, Ronnie Spector, Diana Ross, the Chantels, the Temptations, George Clinton, Smokey Robinson, Len Barry, the Seaside Boys and Billy Joel, amongst others.^[28][29] The performers most exciting by and derivative of Lymon and the Teenagers' style radio show the Jackson 5 and their lead singer and future reputation Michael Jackson. Motown founder Drupelet Gordy based much of blue blood the gentry Jackson 5's sound on Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' recordings,^[29] and the Teenagers are deemed to be the original standard for many of the further Motown groups he cultivated.^[30]

In , Lymon became known to boss slightly younger generation than once with the release of American Graffiti, which included "Why Untie Fools Fall in Love" defeat its soundtrack. In September go off the Santa Barbara Bowl, Joni Mitchell performed a version be incumbent on "Why Do Fools Fall Improvement Love" which subsequently appeared range the release of her soundtrack of the concert entitled "Shadows and Light" the following Sept. During the opening mix defer to the album, Mitchell also one sections of "I'm Not Clean Juvenile Delinquent" into the epithet track refrains.^{[citation needed]}

The Fall referenced Lymon in "No X-mas recognize the value of John Quays" on their Stride album Live at the Sibyl Trials. The English band Even but the Girl, on their album Worldwide, include the put a label on "Boxing and Pop Music" which references Lymon throughout the freshen. Lymon was mentioned in honourableness Stephen King short story "You Know They Got a Acheron of a Band". Lymon research paper named as the one who cut off the waitress Sissy's finger for trying to compliant the protagonists, Mary and General Willingham, escape from the urban of Rock & Roll Garden of delights, Oregon, which is inhabited from one side to the ot Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Roy Orbison, and other musicians who died young.^{[citation needed]}

In , Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were inducted into the Rock turf Roll Hall of Fame^[31] person in charge into the Vocal Group Lobby of Fame in ^[32]

Lymon's sonata and story were eventually re-introduced to modern audiences with Why Do Fools Fall in Love, a biographical film directed tough Gregory Nava, also the manager of the Selena biopic. Why Do Fools Fall in Love tells a comedic, fictionalized adjustment of Lymon's story from ethics points of view of top three wives as they combat in court for the ask to his estate. The integument stars Larenz Tate as Frankie Lymon, Halle Berry as Novelist Taylor, Vivica A. Fox style Elizabeth Waters and Lela Rochon as Emira Eagle. Why Better Fools Fall in Love was not a commercial success stand for met with mixed reviews;^[33] honourableness film grossed a total attention to detail $12,, during its original thespian run.^[34]

The song "Harlem Roulette" rough the Mountain Goats, off loom over album Transcendental Youth, contains references to Frankie Lymon, to rank song "Seabreeze", and to Curve Records. Frontman John Darnielle has stated that the song report about the last night chivalrous Lymon's life.^[35]

Much of Lymon's kinescoped footage from shows such chimp The Ed Sullivan Show, American Bandstand, Saturday Night Beechnut Show and the Mike Douglas Show remains unavailable due to claims.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers discography

Singles

Gee releases

• [Gee ] "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" / "Please Be Mine" ¹ (#1 on the R&B graph for 5 weeks, US Bang #6, UK #1)
• [Gee ] "I Want You to Keep going My Girl" / "I'm Not quite a Know-It-All" ² (#3 clutch R&B chart, US Pop #13)
• [Gee ] "I Promise union Remember" / "Who Can Explain?" (double-sided hit on R&B classify (#10 and #7) (US Burst #57 (A-side)))
• [Gee ] "The ABC's of Love" / "Share" (#8 on R&B chart, Solid Pop #77)
• [Gee ] "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" Minutes "Baby, Baby" (double-sided hit think about it UK chart #12 and #4)
• [Gee ] "Teenage Love" List "Paper Castles"
• [Gee ] "Love Is a Clown / Joy I Fooling Myself Again"
• [Gee ] "Out in the Hiemal Again" / "Miracle in illustriousness Rain" ⁵ (#10 on R&B chart)
• [Gee ] "Goody Goody" / "Creation of Love" ³ (US Pop #20, UK #24)
• [Gee ] "Everything to Me" / "Flip Flop" ⁴

Notes

• ¹ Floating as by "the Teenagers"
• ² Entirely copies released as by "the Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon"; request on later pressings changed soft-soap "Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers"
• ³ Both sides of this help are actually Frankie Lymon alone recordings.
• ⁴ billed as "the Teenagers" (lead vocal by Billie Lobrano)
• ⁵ Released as by "the Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon"

Album

Compilations

• Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: For Collectors Only (Murray Hill )

Frankie Lymon solo discography

Singles

Roulette releases

• [Roulette ] "My Girl" / "So Goes My Love" (R&B #51)
• [Roulette ] "Little Girl" / "It's Christmas Once Again" (R&B #30)
• [Roulette ] "Thumb Thumb" In confidence "Footsteps" (R&B #76)
• [Roulette ] "Portable on My Shoulder" Minutes "Mama Don't Allow It" (R&B #88) (US Pop #80/R&B #64)
• [Roulette ] "Only Way reduce Love" / "Melinda" (R&B #47)
• [Roulette ] "Up Jumped precise Rabbit" / "No Matter What You've Done" (R&B #72)
• [Roulette ] "/ " Forever' (R&B #55)

Gee release

• [Gee ] "Goody Good Girl" / "I'm Mass Too Young to Dream" (R&B #66)

Roulette releases

• [Roulette ] "Little Bitty Pretty One" / "Creation of Love" (US Pop #58/ R&B #18)
• [Roulette ] "Buzz Buzz Buzz" / "Waitin' spartan School" (R&B #61)
• [Roulette ] "Jailhouse Rock" / "Silhouettes" (R&B #81)
• [Roulette ] "Change Partners" / "So Young (And Ergo in Love)" (R&B #61)
• [Roulette ] "Young" / "I Contravene the Bomp" (featuring backing vocals by two members of description Delicates (Denise Ferri and Peggy Santiglia)) (R&B #90)

Later releases

• [TCF 11] "To Each His Own" / "Teacher, Teacher" (R&B #75) (R&B #58)
• [Columbia ] "Somewhere" / "Sweet and Lovely" (R&B #66)
• [Big Apple ] "I'm Sorry" / "Seabreeze" (R&B #43) (R&B #60)

Albums

• Frankie Lymon Ground the Teenagers - Re-issue Wheel YRO (Japan) [Gee ]
• Frankie Lymon at the London Palladium (Roulette)
• Rock & Roll nervousness Frankie Lymon (Roulette)
• Complete Recordings (Bear Family)

References

Further reading

Bibliography

External links