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Frankie Lymon (September 30, 1942 - February 27, 1968) was the leader of a doo wop group called The Teenagers. The group released their debut single, "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", to considerable success. A Top 40 success at age 13, Lymon was perhaps the first black teen idol. After several hits, Lymon's manager attempted to turn him into a solo artist, leaving his old friends in the group behind. Neither Lymon's solo career nor the group's attempts to carry on were successful.
Lymon was credited as songwriter on "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", but his authorship was disputed. In December 1992, the U.S. Federal Court ruled that Herman Santiago, an original member of the group, was the author of the song.
Lymon died of a drug overdose in 1968. The film Why Do Fools Fall in Love is a fictionalized version of his story, told from the point of view of three of his ex-wives jousting over royalties from the title song, which was released in a cover version by Diana Ross in the 1980s and became a hit all over again. Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000.
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