Franklin lymon biography

His new managers made him undergo a drug rehabilitation programme at Manhattan General Hospital. He tried to get his career back on track, took dancing lessons and studied as a jazz drummer, but his drug habit endured. In FebruaryFrankie Lymon was discovered dead on the bathroom floor of his grandmother's New York apartment with a syringe by his side.

The Teenager who never grew up was dead at the tragically young age of Three women, including the Platters' Zola Taylor, claimed to be Lymon's widow. Inafter a lengthy trial, Emira Eagle was awarded Lymon's estate as his lawful widow. Includes the Teenagers' recordings without Lymon. In Major Robinson's gossip column of June 6,Zola said the whole thing was a joke that she went along with at the franklin lymon biography October He appeared at the Apollo as part of a revue, adding an extended tap dance number.

Lymon recorded several live performances such as "Melinda" inbut none rose on the charts. His final television performance was on Hollywood A Go-Go inwhere the then or year-old singer lip-synched to the recording of his year-old self singing "Why Do Fools Fall in Love. Dishonorably discharged from the Army, Lymon moved into his wife's home and continued to perform sporadically.

Roulette Records expressed interest in releasing Lymon's records in conjunction with Big Apple and scheduled a recording session for February Lymon, staying at his grandmother's house in Harlem where he had grown up, celebrated his good fortune by taking heroin; he had remained clean ever since entering the Army three years earlier. On February 27,Lymon was found dead of a heroin overdose at the age of 25 on the franklin lymon biography of his grandmother's bathroom.

Lymon's troubles extended to others after his death. Zola Taylor, Elizabeth Waters and Emira Eagle each approached Morris Levy, the music impresario who retained possession of Lymon's copyrights and his royalties, claiming to be Lymon's rightful widow; Lymon had neglected to divorce any of them. The complex issue resulted in lawsuits and counter-lawsuits, and in the first of several court cases concerning the ownership of Lymon's estate began.

Trying to determine who was indeed the lawful Mrs. Frankie Lymon was complicated by more issues. Waters was already married when she married Lymon; she had separated from her first husband, but their divorce was finalized inafter she had married Lymon. Taylor claimed to have married Lymon in Mexico inbut could produce no acceptable evidence of their union.

Lymon's marriage to Eagle, on the other hand, was properly documented as having taken place at Beulah Grove Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia, in ; however, the singer was still apparently twice-married and never divorced when he married Eagle. Lymon was a polygamist and he remained married to Waters, Taylor, and Eagle up to his death. Addicted to heroin since the age of 15, Lymon fell further into his habit, and his performing career went into decline.

According to Lymon in an interview with Ebony magazine inhe was first introduced to heroin when he was 15 by a woman twice his age. On June 21,Lymon was arrested on a heroin charge and was drafted into the United States Army in the lieu of a jail sentence. The prepubescent soprano of 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 group, which was now renamed to The Teenagers, then gave an audition with American record producer George Goldner. The single peaked at No. The Teenagers placed two other singles in the lower half of the pop chart. Frankie Lymon then began performing as a solo artist, releasing his singles with Roulette Record. His wise-beyond-his-years vocal and performing abilities not only made the Teenagers a group several notches above the competition but made Lymon the first black teenage pop star.

Franklin lymon biography: Franklin Joseph Lymon was an American

Inexplicably, the group split into two factions at the height of their success, and neither had a hit again. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Gee Big Apple Roulette. Musical artist. Biography [ edit ]. Death [ edit ]. Aftermath of Lymon's overdose and posthumous troubles [ edit ]. Legacy [ edit ]. Discography [ edit ]. Singles [ edit ].

Franklin lymon biography: Franklin Joseph Lymon was

Notes [ edit ]. Album [ edit ]. Compilations [ edit ]. Frankie Lymon solo discography [ edit ]. Albums [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. May 17, — via Google Books. Long Sixties: From to Barack Obama. ISBN Retrieved November 1, Historical Dictionary of Popular Music. Stories in Stone New York. Gibbs Smith. ISSN Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN X. January 20, Retrieved February 4, BBC News.

March 21, Jet Magazine.

Franklin lymon biography: Frankie Lymon was.

Johnson Publishing Co. September 17, The New York Times. February 28, The Washington Post. March 29, November 28,