Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

Induction Year: 1993

Induction Category: Performer

"At age 13, singer Frankie Lymon and the doo-wopping Teenagers had the #1 R&B hit in the U.S. and the #1 pop hit in England with “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” The song has attained the status of a vocal-group classic owing to Lymon’s agile, ingenuous and utterly charming performance. Recorded for Gee Records in November 1955, “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” ascended the charts early in 1956 and now stands as one of the key records by which the doo-wop style is defined and remembered. Moreover, its success in an era of slowly opening doors allowed Lymon to become the first black teenage pop star. His youthful rise to fame served as a prototype for such Sixties stars as and .

Born in New York City in 1942, a pre-teen Lymon was working in a grocery store when he met a group of singers from the neighborhood. Having sung gospel music in his father’s group, Lymon made the youthful transition to secular music, joining the Premiers - Herman Santiago, Jimmy Merchant, Joe Negroni and Sherman Garnes - who renamed themselves the Teenagers. Lymon sang the high parts in his clear, pure boy soprano. Although Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers didn’t leave behind a huge body of work, their handful of hits still rank among the finest recordings from the golden era of rock and roll.

Launched into instant stardom by the success of “Why Do Fools Fall in Love? (formerly titled “Why Do Birds Sing So Gay?"), the group suddenly found themselves in movies and on package tours at home and overseas. In 1956 and ‘57, five other singles by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers made the R&B Top Ten - including “I Want You to Be My Girl” (#3), “Who Can Explain?” (#7) and “The ABC’s of Love” (#8) - although the group never entered the U.S. pop charts again. Sadly, Lymon’s star fell as quickly as it rose, and he was found dead of a heroin overdose on February 28, 1968. He was only 25 years old.

TIMELINE

February 10, 1940: Jimmy Merchant was born.

June 8, 1940: Sherman Garnes was born.

September 9, 1940: Joe Negroni was born.

February 18, 1941: Herman Santiago was born.

September 30, 1942: Frankie Lymon was born.

1956: Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers hit #6 with “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”.

May 19, 1956: Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers hits #3 on the R&B chart and #13 on the pop chart with (5/19) “I Want You To Be My Girl”, #10 on the R&B chart with “I Promise To Remember”, #7 on the R&B chart with “Who Can Explain?” and #8 on the R&B chart with “The ABC’s of Love.” All four singles are released on Gee Records.

1957: Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers hit #10 on the R&B chart with “Out In the Cold Again”.

January 12, 1993: Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Essential Songs

Why Do Fools Fall in Love
Baby, Baby
The ABC’s of Love
I’m Not a Juvenile Delinquent
Am I Fooling Myself Again
I Promise to Remember
I Want You to Be My Girl
Teenage Love
Who Can Explain?
Out in the Cold Again