Many people would faithfully call Elvis "The King" but Frankie Lymon was the
original king of Rock N' Roll, even though he was about four years younger
than Elvis. His story starts off in Harlem, New York, where he had started his
singing in the midst of his father's gospel group. His neighborhood "buzz"
began when he went to the school talent show and watch the "Coupe De Villes"
perform. The Coupe De Villes consist of Herman Santiago,Jimmy
Merchant,Sherman Garnes and Joe Negroni. Frankie later joined the Coupe De
Villes, who later changed their name to the "Ermines" following "The Premiers".
Frankie Lymon's inspiration to write his own music came from one of his
neighbors who gave Frankie numerous love letters, written to him from his
girlfriend. Frankie and the other teenagers later adapted one of the letters to
the song "Why Do Birds Sing So Gay",which Frankie later named "Why Do Fools
Fall In Love". Then, one evening "The Teenagers" began to sing the song
outside of Richard Barret's (member of the group "Valentines") window. After
hearing the Teenagers, Barret took them to audition for record producer,
George Goldner. While hearing the Teenagers,with Herman Santiago being the
lead singer, Frankie's voice seemed to be more appealing, so he asked Frankie
to sing lead and this was the start for the legends of Rock N' Roll!
After Goldner singed The Premiers to Gee Records, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"
became their first single in January of 1956. The song also became an
immediate hit, being #6 on the Billboard Pop singles chart and reaching #1 on
the R&B charts. That same year, the Teenagers released "I Want You To Be My
Girl", which was #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. When "I Want You To Be
My Girl" released, the Premiers were later named "Frankie Lymon & the
Teenagers". The group later released an album, "The Teenagers featuring
Frankie Lymon", in December of 1956. The success of the Teenagers, landed
them many gigs such as tours with DJ Alan Freed, performing with other
popular Doo-Wop and Rock N' Roll performers such as Little Richard,The
Platters,Bo Diddly and Bill Haley.While on the Alan Freed tour, Frankie began to
become sexually attracted to Zola Taylor, from the Platters. The Teenagers'
fame landed them in two popular movies of the 50's, beginning with " Rock,
Rock, Rock " and later " Mister Rock and Roll ". The Teenagers also did
numerous performances for Alan Freed, who was a Disc Jockey from Windberg,Pennsylvania,and was known for
promoting African-American R&B music on radio and in Europe, where it was call Rock N' Roll. He even let Frankie
Lymon go on tour with him. Frankie also showed and appeared on his radio
show. All of Frankie's publicity earned him to later being known as "the first
teenage idol". In 1957, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers split up while on a
tour in Europe. Goldner and Levy began promoting Frankie as a solo act and
Frankie began to perform songs using recorded tapes of the songs as his
backround singing. The groups last song released was "Goody Goody", in which
Frankie recieved most of the credit for as he continued to perform it as a solo
act. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers at the London Palladium was suppose to
be released as a group album but was released as Frankie's solo album. While
becoming solo, Frankie's career wasn't as successful as it had been when he
was with the Teenagers. When his first solo, "My Girl" released, he was sign to
Roulette Records. On July 19, 1957 Frankie appeared on Alan Freed's show,
who was a Disc Jockey that promoted African-American R&B music, dancing
with a white girl. The episode was canceled due to the color difference, which
Frankie and the white girl faced. Later, in the 1960's, Frankie's sales began to
drastically change when he lost his soprano voice. After adopting a falsetto
voice, Frankie began loosing a large percentage of his white audience and a
small percentage of his black audience. His highest selling song after his "voice
change" was, "Litty Bitty Pretty One", which reached number 58 on the Hot 100
pop chart in 1960, and which had actually been recorded in 1957. Having
been addicted to heroin since he was 15, Frankie fell further into his habit and
his performing career went into decline.According to Frankie in an interview
with Ebony 1967, he said that he was first introduced to heroin by a woman
twice his age. In 1961, Roulette Records, who was now owned by Morris Levy,
ended their contract with Frankie and he later entered a drug rehabilitation
program. After losing Frankie, the Teenagers went through many replacement
singers, the first was Frankie's immediate successor Billy Lobrano. In 1960,
Howard Kenny Bobo sang lead on "Tonight's The Night" with the Teenagers;
later that year, Johnny Houston sang lead on two songs. The Teenagers, who
had been moved by Morris Levy onto End Records, were released from their
contract in 1961. The Teenagers briefly reunited with Frankie's in 1965,
without success. Over the next four years, Lymon struggled through short-
lived deals with 20th Century Fox Records and Columbia Records. In January
1964, Frankie married Elizabeth Waters, who became his first wife.
At First, his marrige with Elizebeth wasn't legal because she was still married to her first husband, charles Phillips.
After Frankie's marrige failed, he moved to Los Angeles in the mid 1960's, where he moved in with Zola Taylor and
later began a romantic relationship. While living with Zola, Frankie made very few musical appearances at legendary
places like the Apollo.His final television performance was on Hollywood a Go-Go in 1965, where the then,
twenty-two year old singer lip-synched to the recording of his thirteen-year-old recording, "Why Do Fools Fall in
Love."According to Zola, she and Frankie got married in 1965 in Mexicali,Mexico, but there was no marrige license to
prove that she was married to him. One day Zola left to tour with The Platters. She left Frankie in charge of her house,
left him her money and left him the car. About five months later, Zola recieved a call from her sister explaining that
original king of Rock N' Roll, even though he was about four years younger
than Elvis. His story starts off in Harlem, New York, where he had started his
singing in the midst of his father's gospel group. His neighborhood "buzz"
began when he went to the school talent show and watch the "Coupe De Villes"
perform. The Coupe De Villes consist of Herman Santiago,Jimmy
Merchant,Sherman Garnes and Joe Negroni. Frankie later joined the Coupe De
Villes, who later changed their name to the "Ermines" following "The Premiers".
Frankie Lymon's inspiration to write his own music came from one of his
neighbors who gave Frankie numerous love letters, written to him from his
girlfriend. Frankie and the other teenagers later adapted one of the letters to
the song "Why Do Birds Sing So Gay",which Frankie later named "Why Do Fools
Fall In Love". Then, one evening "The Teenagers" began to sing the song
outside of Richard Barret's (member of the group "Valentines") window. After
hearing the Teenagers, Barret took them to audition for record producer,
George Goldner. While hearing the Teenagers,with Herman Santiago being the
lead singer, Frankie's voice seemed to be more appealing, so he asked Frankie
to sing lead and this was the start for the legends of Rock N' Roll!
After Goldner singed The Premiers to Gee Records, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"
became their first single in January of 1956. The song also became an
immediate hit, being #6 on the Billboard Pop singles chart and reaching #1 on
the R&B charts. That same year, the Teenagers released "I Want You To Be My
Girl", which was #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. When "I Want You To Be
My Girl" released, the Premiers were later named "Frankie Lymon & the
Teenagers". The group later released an album, "The Teenagers featuring
Frankie Lymon", in December of 1956. The success of the Teenagers, landed
them many gigs such as tours with DJ Alan Freed, performing with other
popular Doo-Wop and Rock N' Roll performers such as Little Richard,The
Platters,Bo Diddly and Bill Haley.While on the Alan Freed tour, Frankie began to
become sexually attracted to Zola Taylor, from the Platters. The Teenagers'
fame landed them in two popular movies of the 50's, beginning with " Rock,
Rock, Rock " and later " Mister Rock and Roll ". The Teenagers also did
numerous performances for Alan Freed, who was a Disc Jockey from Windberg,Pennsylvania,and was known for
promoting African-American R&B music on radio and in Europe, where it was call Rock N' Roll. He even let Frankie
Lymon go on tour with him. Frankie also showed and appeared on his radio
show. All of Frankie's publicity earned him to later being known as "the first
teenage idol". In 1957, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers split up while on a
tour in Europe. Goldner and Levy began promoting Frankie as a solo act and
Frankie began to perform songs using recorded tapes of the songs as his
backround singing. The groups last song released was "Goody Goody", in which
Frankie recieved most of the credit for as he continued to perform it as a solo
act. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers at the London Palladium was suppose to
be released as a group album but was released as Frankie's solo album. While
becoming solo, Frankie's career wasn't as successful as it had been when he
was with the Teenagers. When his first solo, "My Girl" released, he was sign to
Roulette Records. On July 19, 1957 Frankie appeared on Alan Freed's show,
who was a Disc Jockey that promoted African-American R&B music, dancing
with a white girl. The episode was canceled due to the color difference, which
Frankie and the white girl faced. Later, in the 1960's, Frankie's sales began to
drastically change when he lost his soprano voice. After adopting a falsetto
voice, Frankie began loosing a large percentage of his white audience and a
small percentage of his black audience. His highest selling song after his "voice
change" was, "Litty Bitty Pretty One", which reached number 58 on the Hot 100
pop chart in 1960, and which had actually been recorded in 1957. Having
been addicted to heroin since he was 15, Frankie fell further into his habit and
his performing career went into decline.According to Frankie in an interview
with Ebony 1967, he said that he was first introduced to heroin by a woman
twice his age. In 1961, Roulette Records, who was now owned by Morris Levy,
ended their contract with Frankie and he later entered a drug rehabilitation
program. After losing Frankie, the Teenagers went through many replacement
singers, the first was Frankie's immediate successor Billy Lobrano. In 1960,
Howard Kenny Bobo sang lead on "Tonight's The Night" with the Teenagers;
later that year, Johnny Houston sang lead on two songs. The Teenagers, who
had been moved by Morris Levy onto End Records, were released from their
contract in 1961. The Teenagers briefly reunited with Frankie's in 1965,
without success. Over the next four years, Lymon struggled through short-
lived deals with 20th Century Fox Records and Columbia Records. In January
1964, Frankie married Elizabeth Waters, who became his first wife.
At First, his marrige with Elizebeth wasn't legal because she was still married to her first husband, charles Phillips.
After Frankie's marrige failed, he moved to Los Angeles in the mid 1960's, where he moved in with Zola Taylor and
later began a romantic relationship. While living with Zola, Frankie made very few musical appearances at legendary
places like the Apollo.His final television performance was on Hollywood a Go-Go in 1965, where the then,
twenty-two year old singer lip-synched to the recording of his thirteen-year-old recording, "Why Do Fools Fall in
Love."According to Zola, she and Frankie got married in 1965 in Mexicali,Mexico, but there was no marrige license to
prove that she was married to him. One day Zola left to tour with The Platters. She left Frankie in charge of her house,
left him her money and left him the car. About five months later, Zola recieved a call from her sister explaining that
Frankie had some woman at her house and that they were arguing so loud, the neighbor had to call the police. When
Zola returned home, she found an eviction notice on her door and her once beautiful home, boarded up! She later
learned that the morgage hadn't been paid since she left. When she went to the bank there was no money either. After
trying to reach Frankie in New York, she'd learned that later that year, he had been drafted in the army. While in the
army, Frankie was stationed at Fort Gordon, which was near Agusta Georgia. When Frankie was in the Augusta area,
Frankie met and fell in love with Elmira Eagle, a schoolteacher at Hornsby Elementary. The two were married in June
of 1967, and Frankie repeatedly went AWOL to secure club dates at small Southern clubs. After Frankie was
dishonorably discharged from the Army, he moved into his wife's home and continued to perform sporadically. In
1968,Frankie traveled back to New York to get signed with Sam Bray, in hopes of making a comeback. His career was
unsuccessful, considering the fact that music had moved on with a new sound and a new look. Frankie became so
depressed, that on the night of Febuary 27th 1968, in his grandmother's bathroom, he was found dead of a heroin
overdose.
Over ten years after Frankie's death, Elizabeth, Zola and Emira went to court claiming to be the widow of Frankie, in
order to gain future royalties and copyright entitlements. The first decision was made in Elizabeth's favor; Eagle
appealed, and in 1990, the New York State Supreme Court reversed the original decision and awarded Emira the estate
of Frankie Lymon.
Although, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' had a short amount of time in the music industry, his hits were very
influential on the rock and R&B performers who followed them. Lymon's high-voiced sound is said to be a direct
predecessor of the girl group sound. Frankie influenced many groups such as, The Chantels, The Temptations, The
Beach Boys and The Jackson 5. Frankie influenced individuals such as Ronnie Spector, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson
and Diana Ross. Frankie Lymon had been named "the original teenage idol."
Zola returned home, she found an eviction notice on her door and her once beautiful home, boarded up! She later
learned that the morgage hadn't been paid since she left. When she went to the bank there was no money either. After
trying to reach Frankie in New York, she'd learned that later that year, he had been drafted in the army. While in the
army, Frankie was stationed at Fort Gordon, which was near Agusta Georgia. When Frankie was in the Augusta area,
Frankie met and fell in love with Elmira Eagle, a schoolteacher at Hornsby Elementary. The two were married in June
of 1967, and Frankie repeatedly went AWOL to secure club dates at small Southern clubs. After Frankie was
dishonorably discharged from the Army, he moved into his wife's home and continued to perform sporadically. In
1968,Frankie traveled back to New York to get signed with Sam Bray, in hopes of making a comeback. His career was
unsuccessful, considering the fact that music had moved on with a new sound and a new look. Frankie became so
depressed, that on the night of Febuary 27th 1968, in his grandmother's bathroom, he was found dead of a heroin
overdose.
Over ten years after Frankie's death, Elizabeth, Zola and Emira went to court claiming to be the widow of Frankie, in
order to gain future royalties and copyright entitlements. The first decision was made in Elizabeth's favor; Eagle
appealed, and in 1990, the New York State Supreme Court reversed the original decision and awarded Emira the estate
of Frankie Lymon.
Although, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers' had a short amount of time in the music industry, his hits were very
influential on the rock and R&B performers who followed them. Lymon's high-voiced sound is said to be a direct
predecessor of the girl group sound. Frankie influenced many groups such as, The Chantels, The Temptations, The
Beach Boys and The Jackson 5. Frankie influenced individuals such as Ronnie Spector, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson
and Diana Ross. Frankie Lymon had been named "the original teenage idol."
