Formed:
1955 (Manhattan, New York City, NY)
Genres:
Doo-Wop, Rock and Roll, Pop, R&B
Members:
Frankie Lymon (b. September 30, 1942, Harlem, New York; d. February 28, 1968, Harlem, New York): lead vocal (soprano)
Herman Santiago (b. February 18, 1941, Manhattan, New York): vocals (tenor)
Jimmy Merchant (b. February 10, 1940, Bronx, New York): vocals (tenor)
Joe Negroni (b. September 9, 1940, Manhattan, New York; d. September 5, 1978, Manhattan, New York): vocals (baritone)
Sherman Garnes (b. June 8, 1940, Manhattan, New York; d. February 26, 1977, Manhattan, New York): vocals (bass)
Herman Santiago (b. February 18, 1941, Manhattan, New York): vocals (tenor)
Jimmy Merchant (b. February 10, 1940, Bronx, New York): vocals (tenor)
Joe Negroni (b. September 9, 1940, Manhattan, New York; d. September 5, 1978, Manhattan, New York): vocals (baritone)
Sherman Garnes (b. June 8, 1940, Manhattan, New York; d. February 26, 1977, Manhattan, New York): vocals (bass)
Contributions to music:
- First rock and roll group consisting of teenagers
- 13-year-old lead singer Frankie Lymon was a tremendous influence on all future vocal groups in R&B, doo wop, and rock
- Established the template for boy and girl groups
- A fine doo-wop outfit adept at many styles of music
- Berry Gordy of Motown modeled his assembly-line approach to vocal groups after The Teenagers
- Lymon popularized the falsetto lead in pop, R&B, and rock
Early years:
Formed in the Washington Heights section of New York, the half-black, half-Puerto Rican Teenagers began as an assemblage of schoolmates and neighbors practicing popular R&B in the hallways of their respective apartment buildings. A performance at Edward W. Stitt Junior High School got the attention of 12-year-old Frankie Lymon, there to play bongos in his brothers' mambo band. His seemingly innocent falsetto was a perfect fit, and he was soon singing with the group -- but not always as lead.
Success:
An apartment neighbor gave the group some poems his girlfriend had written to him as letters -- partly in an attempt to get them to practice something new. One poem was worked into a song called "Why Do Birds Sing So Gay," and when a member of the doo-wop group The Valentines got the Teenagers an audition with the Rama label, it was further morphed into "Why Do Fools Fall In Love," featuring Lymon on lead. It was a smash, and the group followed up with hits like "I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent."
Later years:
Unfortunately, despite the squeaky-clean image of the group, they were no innocents -- Harlem native Lymon had been a pimp at ten -- and when Frankie was convinced to go solo, his lack of hits and the eventual loss of his falsetto to puberty doomed him to a downward spiral. Lymon, who'd been abusing drugs at sixteen, eventually became a full-fledged heroin addict. He died in his grandmother's apartment at the age of 25; the group never matched their success with him on their own, either.
Other facts:
- Members went to the same public school in New York as The Cadillacs
- Previously known as the Ermines, the Coupe DeVilles, and the Premiers
- The Teenagers recorded two dozen takes of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?"
- Lymon got Alan Freed's "Big Beat" show canceled by dancing with a white girl during an appearance
- The group caused a controversy by allegedly trashing their hotel rooms on a British tour
- Lymon's two, possibly three widows fought over his estate for years
Awards/Honors:
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1993)
- Vocal Group Hall of Fame (2000)
- Grammy Hall of Fame (2001)
Songs, Albums, and Charts:
#1 hits:
R&B:
- "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" (1956)
Pop:
- "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" (1956)
- "Who Can Explain?" (1956)
- "I Want You To Be My Girl" (1956)
- "I Promise To Remember" (1956)
- "The ABC's Of Love" (1956)
- "Out In The Cold Again" (1957)
Covered by: Diana Ross, Joni Mitchell, The Beach Boys, The Four Seasons, Gale Storm, The Diamonds, The Dovells
Appears in the movies: "Rock, Rock, Rock" (1956), "Mister Rock and Roll" (1957)
