"They wanted to impress their friends in school" by being on the radio. Zola, the second supposed wife, got to be pretty friendly with the first. They became lovers, Zola testified, one night in Bangor, Maine, when Frankie had won $1,700 gambling with Clyde McPhatter and she had gotten "a little loaded drinking scotch and water." "Even though she had said no, she had said yes in the beginning; so Ronnie went ahead without going back and contacting Emira again. Ash Taylor, Elizabeth Waters, and Amira Eagle reached out to Morris Levy, a music entrepreneur who retained Lymons copyrights and copyrights, claiming to be Lymons legal widow; Lymon didnt bother to divorce any of them. Span wrote that back in Los Angeles, the club where Zola was performing tossed a celebration with a cake and champagne. No one foresaw that the people who grew up with the music would refuse to relinquish it, repeatedly recycling it into movie sound tracks and albums, cover versions, oldies compilations and TV commercials. Required fields are marked *. Zola Taylor said she married Lymon on Oct. 1, "that would draw people to him.". It was also Rubin who located Emira, put her in touch with an attorney, helped line up witnesses and documentation. First Visitation. Who owns the rights to old songs matters as much or more now than it did when they were hits. Levy was aware of all the details of Frankie Lymons love life, and he used it to his advantage by bringing in Elizabeth Waters and Zola Taylor to challenge Emiras claim to be Frankies widow and, by having the court determine her marraige to be invalid, derail her lawsuit. Span wrote that Frankie was a soldier for most of his brief marriage to Emira. It teaches him responsibility and how to stand on his own two feet. The Surrogate Court judge hearing the widowhood case pushed for a settlement. "He had always regarded Zola as his stage mother," Elizabeth explained during the trial. Elizabeths attorneys argued in response that she and Frankie lived in Philadelphia and therefore established a common-law marriage under Pennsylvania law. Macron wont let go off Africa so easily, he is love sick, Canadas Debt Crisis: A Never-Ending Burden Passed On From Generation to Generation, Alcohol tax in Canada: Canadian government is taking a sip out of your beer. "If you have any kind of heart at all," she says, "you know that he went through hell.". Artists Rights helped secure a financial settlement for Richard Berry, composer of "Louie, Louie" just before the song was used in a wine cooler ad. She knew a soldier., Frankie was interviewed by The Augusta Chronicle while he was stationed at Ft. Gordon. When a star-struck group like the Teenagers finally got to audition for a doo-wop impresario, such matters as copyright barely figured in the conversation. He didn't mind. Neither Zola nor Elizabeth could quite figure Emira Eagle Lymon, the 48-year-old third wife from Augusta, Ga. Frankie marrying a schoolteacher? 2010-02-12 00:06:12. 1200 Observatory Drive | Madison, WI 53706-1212 | Map. It spent months on the pop charts, led to national tours and TV appearances and bubble-gum cards with the Teenagers' picture on them. Frankie was that kind of person, Your Honor, Elizabeth said. She told Span that she never recovered financially from the loss of her home and still feels "cheated." Artist Rights Enforcement Corporation was heralded by the New York Times as the white knight of rock n roll for its efforts in recovering uncollected royalties for a host of artists including Wilbert Harrison, Richard Berry, the Coasters, and the Dell Vikings to name just a few. He was busy preparing for an April 11 trial for extortion and conspiracy in federal court in Camden, New Jersey, stemming from an F.B.I. Its a mark of how shallow Fools is that even as gifted an actor as Tate (excellent in Menace II Society and Dead Presidents) cant turn Lymon into anything more than a cipher. "Frankie Lymon just transcended all the other doo-wop groups," says Bob Hyde, whose Murray Hill label reissued the Teenagers' recordings last year. I feel sorry for him, most of all," echoes Zola. Bigger than life! As soon as the hearing began, Emiras attorneys alleged that the other two widows acted in concert with Morris Levy. According to Bill Olb, the idea was suggested to Ronnie by Pearl McKinnon, who had recently left the reunited Teenagers. In 1986, the women, who were never divorced from Lymon, filed copyright claims in federal court in New York for Lymons songs. No one could have foreseen that the people who grew up with the music would refuse to relinquish it, and the songs would be repeatedly recycled into movie soundtracks and albums, cover versions, oldies compilations, and television commercials. His in the end was a wasted life ruined by drugs. Both Zola and Elizabeth think their agreements with Levy fair, and neither plans to take legal action against him if she is found to be Lymon's widow. For part of Lymons appeal to women was how uncommonly young he was; the singers first hit came before he was 14, younger than most romantic leads can play. She says she's never recovered financially from the loss of her home and still feels "cheated," yet she also talks about Lymon's ruptured family, and, again, his drug dependency. "Up to a point." Army discipline, I think, teaches a man how to protect himself. Mays Mortuary, 1221 James Brown Blvd. The Teenagers tried recording on their own, with a new lead singer. It didnt last long, however. Your email address will not be published. Emira testified in Surrogate Court that her arrangement called for any money recovered through her suit to be shared 50-50 with Rubin, after expenses and legal fees, which had already reached a substantial subtotal. Frankie Lymon Music - Singer Why Famous: Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers, band Age: 25 (8/30/1942 - 2/27/1968) Frankie Lymon's Relationships (3) Elizabeth Waters Other - Spouse He was a hustler, a liar and a thief. Though Navas soapy directing style makes Fools watchable enough in a campy way, the films unsophisticated nature undermines its better qualities. Similarly, one of the unexamined factors in his turning to hard drugs was apparently the difficulties caused by his voice beginning to change. Lymon's 1967 marriage to Eagle, marked by a ceremony at the Beulah Grove Baptist Church, was invalid, according to the opinion, because he was still married to Waters. Zola, the older woman, was 17. And that was that, the last of the hits. Frankie could fool you, he could fool me, Frankie could fool God. That suit was suspended while Lambert determined which woman was Lymon's widow. Though this success was short-lived, Lymon on a personal level was apparently quite the boy who couldnt say no. Visit our Rubin's 200 or so clients constituted an honor roll of early rock and roll. Kids didnt know about royalties said Bob Hyde of Murray Hill Records. Back in New Jersey, Ronnie Italiano and the UGHA had adhered to Emiras aforementioned wishes and held off on moving forward with their project to acquire and place a memorial tombstone on Frankie Lymons grave until her lawsuit was settled. Elizabeth 'Mickey' Waters : You see, y'all gotta understand. And yet -- what was it about him? I feel sorry for him, most of all," echoed Zola. investigation of the infiltration of organized crime in the recording industry. Whie serving at Ft. Gordon in Georgia, Frankie married again. It was Bryant who was depicted in the 1998 movie "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" The Happenings' 45. According to Paula Spans story, he was arrested a least three times in New York for grand larceny or heroin possession, and the Selective Service, hungry for recruits as the war in Vietnam escalated, was after him. Also Read:David Von Drehle: Biography, Career, Education and Books. "Kids didn't know about royalties," says Bob Hyde of Murray Hill Records. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Zola never saw him alive again. Gender inclusive room options available. ("I thought royalties was a dessert," says Elizabeth.). "He had been busted in California again for drugs. Set decorator Jackie Carr. And that song, which he wrote or helped to write and which will bear his boyish vocal signature forever. When she returned in April, the house was in foreclosure and Frankie was gone with the money. He was apparently a bigamist, or maybe a trigamist. One of his records with the Teenagers was called "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent," but for all the conviction in his sweet young voice, he probably was one. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. He got on that stage, and baby he was huge! "He had the type of personality that would draw people," she said. ", Like the jazz and blues artists before them, the rock and rollers of the 1950s and 1960s were often ripe for rip-offs, and royalties were underestimated or simply never paid. Frankie had a very bad year in 1966. I often tell people that Frankie didnt end up living a glorified life. A memorial service. It was held on Saturday, September 14, at Schuetzen Park Casino in North Bergen, New Jersey. Get our L.A. Lymon's managers tried packaging him as a solo crooner in a cravat. In January 1964, he began a relationship with Elizabeth Mickey Waters, from whom he gave birth to his only daughter Francine, who died two days later. Both Elizabeth's and Zola's attorneys say Emira offered their clients 20 percent (for Elizabeth) and 5 percent (for Zola) of the estate. When trading Miss Thing"-type insults doesnt clear the air, a lawsuit to determine the identity of the true widow and heir to Lymons royalties becomes inevitable. Zola Taylor, a former member of the teen-age doo-wop group the Platters, also said. And it was not uncommon for someone -- an agent, producer or record label head -- to name himself cowriter of a group's songs, entitling him to half the author's publishing royalties. DONALD LYMON OBITUARY. The next morning, Feb. 27, an uncle found him unresponsive on the bathroom floor and called police. Yes, the three women are gorgeous and talented, and it is fun to see them having at one another. She had a big house in the hills with a swimming pool, and she immediately took the scruffy Frankie shopping for suits and tuxedos. He was a soldier for most of their brief marriage, taking the bus from her family's home to the post each day. The names of Frankie Lymon and Morris Levy were now listed as the songwriters. "He had been busted in California again for drugs." Her troubles with drugs and the law continued long after Frankie's death. As the lead vocalist for the Teenagers, Lymon (played by Larenz Tate) helped turn Why Do Fools Fall in Love into one of the biggest hits of 1956. He established his Artists Rights Enforcement Corp. in 1981 to hound, bully or sue record companies that he thought were depriving artists of their earnings, taking a substantial cut for his efforts. The Platters. As Water's claim went to court, Zola Taylor ex-member of the Platters, claimed that she had been sexually active with Lymon as early as the "Biggest Rock "n" Roll Show of 1956" tour. Hell, the boy had so many needle marks on him, I thought he was a God-damned . Copy. The court found that "the decedent and Elizabeth {Waters} have satisfied the requirements of common law marriage in the State of Pennsylvania." When she and Frankie fought about it, Elizabeth told the court, he pulled a gun on her and fled. Zola had also been a teenage star. * MPAA rating: R, for language and some sexuality. Zola got to be pretty friendly with the first wife. Maybe it was the afterglow from her Tijuana marriage that induced Zola to trust a junkie like Frankie to take care of her financial affairs when she left to tour Japan with the Platters in December 1965. A decision was reached in November, but the case would not end there. Elizabeths claim to be Frankies wife and heir was weakened by the fact that she was still legally married when she wed Frankie in 1964. Though Waters was not yet divorced from her first husband when she and Frankie Lymon married in a civil ceremony in Alexandria in 1964, their union became valid when that divorce became final in 1965, the judge found. Borstein also says that Lymon, who was always pestering Levy for money, sold Levy the copyright to all his songs and that Levy has a signed document to that effect. Mini Bio (1) Frankie Lymon was born on September 30, 1942 in Harlem, New York City, New York, USA. "I'm not a person to hold a grudge. "I'm not a person to hold a grudge. Set designers Clare Scarpulla, Michael Bernard. Believing that she had the stronger case, Big Seven agreed to pay Elizabeth an additional $5,000 if the federal lawsuit was dismissed because the plaintiff (Emira) was determined to not be the legal widow. There may be further delays, though, while that executive faces federal extortion charges. Did Ukraine use innocent civilians as human shield against Russia in the name of evacuation? As Waters' claim went to court, Taylor claimed that she had been sexually active with Lymon as early as the "Biggest Rock "n" Roll Show of 1956" tour. Then, two months after his dishonorable discharge (for repeatedly being AWOL), he went to New York, telling Emira he wanted to see about reviving his career. The retired Richmond County schoolteacher in her years after Lymon was married to Augustan Leroy Bryant. She met Frankie when he was 20-years-old, backstage at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. Elizabeth went on to testify that she also saw Frankie the day before he took his last, fatal dose of heroin. 507 residents | Coed by wing | Single and double rooms. In December 1989, the New York Supreme Court ruled that Bryant was Lymons only legal wife. Lymon, known for being the lead vocalist of the world-wide popular rock group Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, died less than a year later on Feb. 27, 1968, at age 25 in New York City, reportedly of a heroin overdose. Key parts of this chronology are in dispute, of course. "Frankie had a very good appetite for the best of life," she says. It teaches him responsibility and how to stand on his own two feet. He was staying in his grandmother's apartment on West 165th Street. co-starring Halle Barry, Lela Rochon and Vivica A. Years later, in the wainscoted courtroom where Lymon's love life was being retraced in painful detail, Elizabeth turned to the judge. Others still do, however. 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Phils 2023-24 season lineup celebrates the 20th anniversary of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Cardi B changes tune on community service, calls it best thing, spiritual journey, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Im visiting all 600 L.A. spots on the National Register. He had the looks; he had the voice; he had the moves. Sound Veda Campell. When asked about his association with alleged mob figures, Levy, who was Jewish, responded: "I've been on Broadway 47 years. I know its been good for me.. Morris Levy had not become a force in the music business through fear alone; he was also very clever. ", But in 1984 (as the original copyright term of the song was expiring) Emira Eagle Lymon brought suit in U.S. District Court in New York against Levy, his attorney, his record label and his publishing company. He then called Elizabeth and urged her to join him. Emira refused their counter offer. Also Read:Uplift Suasion: the notion to change racism, Your email address will not be published. Published by Mobile Register and Baldwin County from Jan. 25 to Jan. 27, 2023. Waters provides convenient access to libraries, the . * Playing in general release throughout Southern California. Her sister's boyfriend introduced them; soon, Emira was cooking meals for Frankie and they were shopping for wedding rings. So the trial went forward. Levy declined direct comment on the Lymon matter. Troubles with drugs and the law continued long after Frankie 's death get our L.A. Lymon managers. Thought he was apparently quite the boy who couldnt say no took his last fatal... On her and fled journalism by turning off Your ad blocker in New York Supreme Court that... 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