The singer of “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” was the first black teenage pop idol. As with so many child stars, his life was full of tragedy. He was married three times, developed a heroin habit by the age of 15, and was dead at age 25. He would be turning 67 today.
But here’s something amazing I found out today as I was researching: one of the Teenagers, Jimmy Merchant, is currently living on Virginia’s Eastern Shore! Wow, I need to get an interview with this guy next time I go home. This is incredible.
RELATED: A very good history of Frankie Lymon in a 1998 Ebony article.