The Teenagers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Teenagers
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The original five Teenagers; from left to right: Jimmy Merchant, Herman Santiago, Frankie Lymon, Joe Negroni and Sherman Garnes.
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Coup De Villes, The Earth Angels, The Ermines, The Premiers, Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers |
| Origin | Harlem, New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Doo-wop, Rock and roll |
| Years active | 1954–present |
| Labels | Gee, Roulette, End |
| Members | Herman Santiago Bobby Jay Terrance Farward Jimmy Merchant Terry King |
| Past members | Frankie Lymon (deceased) Jimmy Castor (deceased) Joe Negroni (deceased) Sherman Garnes (deceased) Billy Lobrano (deceased) Johnny Houston Lewis Lymon (deceased) John Seda Derek Ventura Dickie Harmon Timothy Wilson Pearl McKinnon Phil Garrito Marilyn Byers Roz Morehead Eric Ward Thomas Lockhart |
The Teenagers are a famous American doo-wop group. They are known for being one of the first successful rock music groups. A DJ named Alan Freed helped introduce them to people all over the world.
The group became very popular with young Frankie Lymon as their lead singer. They were also special because they were the first rock group made up entirely of teenagers!
Contents
History of The Teenagers
The Teenagers started as a group called the Earth Angels. This group was formed at Edward W. Stitt Junior High School. It was in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan.
The first members were Jimmy Merchant (second tenor) and Sherman Garnes (bass). Later, they added Herman Santiago as lead singer and Joe Negroni as baritone. They then changed their name to The Coupe De Villes.
In 1954, a 12-year-old named Frankie Lymon joined the group. They changed their name again, first to the Ermines, then to The Premiers.
How "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" Was Made
The same year Frankie joined, he helped Herman and Jimmy rewrite a song. This song became their biggest hit, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love".
This song helped The Teenagers get an audition with George Goldner's Gee Records. But on the day of the audition, Herman Santiago was too sick to sing. So, Frankie Lymon sang the lead part instead.
The group impressed Gee Records and signed with them. They became known as The Teenagers, with Frankie Lymon as the lead singer.
Early Success and Changes
"Why Do Fools Fall in Love" was their first and most famous song. The group was loved for their amazing harmony and cool dance moves. They also had other hits like "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" and "The ABC's of Love".
By 1957, the group was often called "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers". This caused some problems within the group. In September, George Goldner decided Frankie should record music by himself.
The Teenagers kept making music with a new lead singer. Billy Lobrano joined, becoming the group's first white member. This made the group more diverse, with two Black members, two Hispanic members, and one white member. However, they didn't have much success with Billy, and he later left.
Over the years, some original members passed away. Sherman Garnes passed away in 1977, and Joe Negroni passed away in 1978. Bobby Jay and Frankie's brother, Lewis Lymon, joined the group to replace them.
In the 1980s, the group even had a female singer, Pearl McKinnon. She helped imitate Frankie Lymon's high voice from when he was younger. Many other talented singers joined The Teenagers over the years, including Jimmy Castor and Timothy Wilson.
The Teenagers Today
Today, the group's members are Herman Santiago, Bobby Jay, Terry King, and Terrance Farward. They are often called Frankie Lymon's Legendary Teenagers or The Legendary Teenagers.
The Teenagers in Films
The Teenagers appeared in the movie Rock, Rock, Rock in 1956. They shared the screen with other famous artists like Chuck Berry, the Moonglows, and the Flamingos.
See also
In Spanish: The Teenagers para niños
