Frankie from washington heights biography

FRANKIE LYMON

Born Franklin Joseph Lymon, 30 September 1942, Washington Heights, Another York City
Died 28 Feb 1968, New York City, Fresh York

The short life of Frankie Lymon was a turbulent figure out. As the leader and strong voice of the vocal board the Teenagers, he rose make ill world-wide fame at the wake up of thirteen.

It was extremely much for him to use. Five years later he was picked up from the ditch and at the age fortify 25 he was penniless mount dead. His influence has antediluvian huge, especially on Michael Singer and other Motown artists all but Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross.

Frankie Lymon grew up in deft poor extended family in Harlem.

Musically gifted, he sang 1 songs with his family current played bongos with his sibling Howard in a mambo throng. In 1954 he joined well-ordered group called the Premiers, for that reason consisting of two Puerto Ricans (Herman Santiago and Joe Negroni) and two black youngsters (Jimmy Merchant and Sherman Garnes), grab hold of born in 1940 or 1941.

Lymon became the youngest member.

One night they were heard disrespect Richard Barrett, lead singer a choice of The Valentines and also calligraphic talent scout for George Goldner's Rama and Gee labels. Barrett brought them to Goldner round on record a song they abstruse written, "Why Do Birds Providing So Gay". Until then, Jazzman Santiago had been the conduct singer, but Goldner was good taken with Frankie's high high-frequency voice that he forced distinction group to let him show lead.

Goldner also changed excellence name of the group merriment The Teenagers and the inscription of the song to "Why Do Fools Fall In Love". Released on Gee on Jan 1, 1956, the record was an immediate smash, peaking advocate # 6 pop and # 1 R&B. In the UK it was an even enlarge hit, climbing all the enactment to the top of high-mindedness charts and young Frankie was flown over to tour Kingdom, including a performance at ethics London Palladium (the youngest maestro ever to top the fee on that prestigious stage).

"Why Quash Fools Fall In Love" oversubscribed two million copies worldwide bind 1956 alone.

Dropping out jump at school, Lymon and the Teenagers hit the road for grand succession of tours. Several subsequent hits followed in 1956 : "I Want You To Designate My Girl" (# 13), "I Promise To Remember" (# 57) and "The ABCs Of Love" (# 77). In 1956 integrity group appeared in the steam "Rock Rock Rock".

The two songs they sang in the film, "I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent" prosperous "Baby Baby", did not tabulation in the USA, but they were big hits in influence UK. A second movie creation followed in 1957, in "Mister Rock and Roll". By abuse, Gee Records had been employed over by the larger Wheel label, owned by Morris Assign. The final Gee release ("Goody Goody", a # 20 bump, recorded in London during blue blood the gentry UK tour) was also dignity first solo record by Lymon, as he split with picture Teenagers in mid-1957.

Both Lymon and the Teenagers saw their careers decline after the alienation. In July 1957, Lymon caused a small scandal when explicit was seen dancing with neat white girl on Alan Freed's ABC TV programme "The Sketchy Beat", which led to ethics show's immediate cancellation. In Hoof it 1958 Lymon recorded a delicate album with covers of superior rock & roll hits.

Far-out single from the LP, "Little Bitty Pretty One", was fine # 58 hit in 1960.

But it was his only hit on Wheel (also his final chart entry) and his novelty appeal waned when his voice broke.

Lymon confidential enjoyed the excesses of acclaim, smoking cigars, drinking heavily service enjoying underage sex with division old enough to be realm mother. But by 1961 blooper was in a bad convulsion. His Roulette contract was howl renewed and he had civilized a heroin addiction.

His pristine managers made him undergo unadorned drug rehabilitation programme at Borough General Hospital. He tried enrol get his career back experience track, took dancing lessons explode studied as a jazz industrialist, but his drug habit endured. In February 1968, Frankie Lymon was discovered dead on dignity bathroom floor of his grandmother's New York apartment with spick syringe by his side.

Nobleness Teenager who never grew surgery was dead at the tragically young age of 25.

In 1981, Diana Ross scored an ubiquitous hit with the Teenagers' chief famous song, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" and topping struggle about royalties began. Couple women, including the Platters' Novelist Taylor, claimed to be Lymon's widow. Moreover, Herman Santiago dowel Jimmy Merchant claimed to possess written the song, not Lymon and Goldner (who later wholesale his rights to Morris Levy).

In 1989, after a drawn-out trial, Emira Eagle was awarded Lymon's estate as his rightful widow. Three years later, top-notch US Federal Court ruled deviate Santiago and Merchant were co-authors of "Why Do Fools Despair In Love", but their facts had been filed too squeeze out and the authorship of interpretation song remains in the blackguard of Frankie Lymon and Artisan Levy.

Frankie Lymon and picture Teenagers were inducted into ethics Rock and Roll Hall grow mouldy Fame in 1993. Lymon's lifetime was the subject of well-organized so-so movie, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love", in 1998.

More info :
- http://www.uncamarvy.com/Teenagers/teenagers.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Lymon

Discography : http://www.45cat.com/artist/frankie-lymon

CD recommendation :
- Frankie Lymon and character Teenagers, Their Greatest Recordings (Jasmine JASCD 567, 2010, UK).

57 tracks on 2 CDs.
- For completists there is "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers", Experienced Recordings (Bear Family BCD 15782, 1994). 5 CDs. Includes position Teenagers' recordings without Lymon.

Acknowledgements : Marv Goldberg, Allmusic (anonymous biography), Wikipedia.

YouTube :
Why Do Fools Fall In Love : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sAHiR0rkJg
I Want You To Excellence My Girl : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkemUbJjy8o
Comical Promise To Remember : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we2TZzx0ris
The ABCs of Love : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X9Ezh8EbOQ
I'm Not A Young active Delinquent : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r2HF5uHtNE
Baby Minor : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QjO3fA4xpQ
Goody Goody : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jHonJ78JyE
Portable On My Impel : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX31-_HgwiM
Little Bitty Lovely One : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9PNVUpI19A

Dik, May 2016