Frankie Lymon, a pioneering performer whose music and young charisma left an indelible effect on the music industry, was a name synonymous with the early days of rock ‘n' roll. He rose to prominence in the 1950s as the lead vocalist of Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, with classics such as “Why Do Fools Fall in Love.”
Frankie Lymon's life took a fatal turn despite his enormous talent and popularity, and his premature death devastated people all over the world. In this article, we explore the circumstances surrounding Frankie Lymon's death and the legacy he left behind.
Who Is Frankie Lymon?
Frankie Lymon was an American singer and composer best remembered as the boy soprano lead singer of the New York City-based early rock and roll doo-wop group The Teenagers. He was born on September 30, 1942. His real name was Franklin Joseph Lymon.
Five males in their early to mid-teens made up the group. The Teenagers' original roster had three African-American members, Frankie Lymon, Jimmy Merchant, and Sherman Garnes, as well as two Puerto Rican members, Joe Negroni and Herman Santiago.
“Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” the Teenagers' first single, was also their biggest hit. Lymon's and the Teenagers' careers both declined once he went solo in mid-1957. In 1993, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Teenagers. Why Do Fools Fall in Love, a film based on his life, was released in 1998.
How Did Frankie Lymon Die?
Lymon was found dead on the floor of his grandmother's bathroom on February 27, 1968. He had taken too much heroin. He was 25 years old. Lymon was buried at Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Throggs Neck neighborhood of The Bronx, New York City, New York. The two songs Lymon had made for the Big Apple before he died, “I'm Sorry” and “Seabreeze,” came out later in 1969.
Was Frankie Lymon Married?
In January 1964, he married his first wife, Elizabeth Mickey Waters. Technically, though, this marriage was never legal because she was still married to her first husband.
Together, they had a girl, Francine, who was Frankie's only child. Tragically, Francine died just two days after she was born. After his first “marriage” didn't work out, Frankie is said to have married Zola Taylor of The Platters in Mexico in 1965. But no one has ever found proof of the wedding, and some people think the whole thing was a joke or PR stunt.
Emira Eagle, a teacher, was invited to Lymon's third and last wedding. The couple got married in June 1967, but Frankie hadn't gotten separated from either of his two previous wives.
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Legal and illegal weddings that may or may not have happened caused problems long after Lymon died, when Diana Ross's famous cover of “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” caused a scramble for Frankie's royalties.
What Was Frankie Lymon's Legacy?
Frankie Lymon had a huge influence on the pop and rock ‘n' roll scenes, even though he died at such a young age and was only a recording artist for a few short years.
We've already said that The Beach Boys and Diana Ross's versions of Frankie's biggest hit showed how much they liked him.
Ronnie Spector, The Temptations, The Chantels, Smokey Robinson, Billy Joel, and George Clinton are some of the other acts who have mentioned The Teenagers in their songs.
Frankie and the Teenagers had a big impact on Michael Jackson, The Jackson 5, and all of Berry Gordy's other Motown bands and stables.
Frankie's influence went beyond the obvious. Joni Mitchell covered “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” and artists as different as The Fall, Everything but the Girl, and The Mountain Goats all made references to Frankie in their songs “No Christmas for John Quays,” “Boxing and Pop Music,” and “Harlem Roulette,” respectively.
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The 1998 biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love, in which Larenz Tate played Frankie Lymon, Halle Berry played Zola Taylor, Vivica A. Fox played Elizabeth Waters, and Lela Rochon played Emira Eagle, cementing Frankie's reputation. In 1993, the Teenagers got into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
