Artist of the Month: Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers

Frankie Lymon was the lead  vocalist for a Doo-Wop group known as the “Teenagers” back in the 1950”s. He was the first black teenage singing idol. Two black students from junior high school in New York City, Jimmy Merchant and Sherman Garnes recruited neighborhood Puerto Ricans Herman Santiago and Joe Negroni for the group they called themselves “The Premiers” and hoped that someday they could make a record. They were working on a song they had written entitled “Why do birds sing so gay” and needed a high tenor, Richard Barrett a member of another group called the “Valentines” lived above the grocery store where Frankie Lymon worked part time. Through him they got together with Lymon who suggested changing the focus of the song and it’s title.
The song would now be known as “Why do fools fall in love”. With the rise of fame comes also the down fall Frankie Lymon experimented with drugs since 1958. On June 21,1966 he was arrested on a heroin charge, he then entered the Army in lieu of a jail sentence but recieved a less than honorable discharge a short time later. Like most young performers of the era, the Teenagers lost rights to all their music. Goldner publishing Company handled the song “Why do fools fall in love” and took fifty percent right off the top. Santiago’s name was dropped off the songs rights in the 1960’s while Lymon and Goldner sold off thier rights to the song, Goldner to pay gambling debts and Lymon to buy drugs. Along battle of who owned the rights to the song “Why do fools fall in love” was finally settled in 1992.
Herman Santiago an Jimmy Merchant also pursued their claim to the song and other song rights in federal court. The two singers and Emira Lymon now recieve complete rigths to the song.Finally in 1993 The Teenagers and Frankie Lymon were inducted into the “Rock ”N” Roll Hall Of Fame”.
Learn more interesting facts and stories about Frankie Lymon as we feature him and the Teenagers on our next Artist Of The Month. And as always all stories and Fun facts are by Wendy Johnson and all shows are produced by Javier Martinez. Be sure and listen to KWMC 1490AM the all new classic hits station and the”Little Red Rooster Show”.