Lymon, Frankie, and the Teenagers

American vocal group popular in the mid-1950s, prime exponents of the doo-wop vocal style. The members were Frankie Lymon (b. Sept. 30, 1942, New York, N.Y., U.S.—d. Feb. 28, 1968, New York), Herman Santiago (b. Feb. 18, 1941, New York), Jimmy Merchant (b. Feb. 10, 1940, New York), Joe Negroni (b. Sept. 9, 1940, New York—d. Sept. 5, 1978, New York), and Sherman Garnes (b. June 8, 1940, New York—d. Feb. 26, 1977, New York).

The broad-based success of this vocal ensemble helped signal the emergence of rock and roll as a part of mainstream teenage culture. The prepubescent soprano of 13-year-old lead singer Lymon, sounding innocent and girlish, represented one of the most appealing sounds in early rock and roll, and many later pop groups would feature a preteen male lead, most notably the Jackson 5. The Teenagers' first successful record, “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” (1956), was followed by five more singles that appeared on the national survey lists of the most popular records in the United States. The Teenagers also appeared in two popular rock-and-roll movies starring disc jockey Alan Freed, Rock, Rock, Rock (1956) and Mister Rock and Roll (1957).

In 1957 Lymon left the group to launch a solo career, which failed when his changed adult voice, an unremarkable tenor, proved to have diminished commercial appeal. Long afflicted by a substance abuse problem, Lymon died in 1968 from a drug overdose. He and the group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Robert D. Pruter