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. Waters, who on the witness stand acknowledged a long struggle with drugs and prostitution during her tempestuous relationship with the onetime star, got the news from her attorney Monday night. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. He didn't mind. William McCracken, who represents Emira Eagle, called her at the elementary school where she teaches. Watch a performance of "Little Boy And Girl" by Pearl McKinnon and the Kodakshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP6P329DMKY. Recording costs and commissions for everyone from managers to choreographers could siphon off much of a groups earnings. Consequently, he left behind a tangled and miserable legal and financial mess along with three wounded women. 1/28/23, noon until 2pm service at Small's Mortuary. She attempted to recover all the royalties from the date of the records release because she alleged that neither Levy nor his predecessor as co-writer, George Goldner who discovered and recorded the Teenagers, was actually a songwriter. The next month, according to Zola, she and Frankie drove to Tijuana and got married in a small chapel. Her only marriage lasted 4.1 years. Production design Cary White. It teaches him responsibility and how to stand on his own two feet. They also pointed to the absence of documentation from Mexico as evidence that Zola and Frankie never married at all. Franklin Joseph Lymon (September 30, 1942 - February 27, 1968) was an American rock and roll/rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of the New York City-based early rock and roll doo-wop group The Teenagers.The group was composed of five boys, all in their early to mid-teens. Waters provides convenient access to libraries, the . Emira Eagle Lymon Bryant, the legally declared widow of '50s teenage rock star Frankie Lymon, died Saturday at AU Medical Center. His was a wasted life, and he was so talented., Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 1200 Observatory Drive | Madison, WI 53706-1212 | Map. Although most of Rubin's cases don't wind up in court, the allegations Emira made are not unusual. Get our L.A. Lymon's managers tried packaging him as a solo crooner in a cravat. 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. She has never remarried. Royalties were underestimated or simply never paid. It spent months on the pop charts, led to national tours and TV appearances and bubble-gum cards with the Teenagers' picture on them. She was 19 and sympathetic; she wanted to help him regain what he'd lost. Her obituary was posted on February 9, 2023. investigation of the infiltration of organized crime in the recording industry. An act could rise and fall with astonishing swiftness then. According to Paula Span, her sisters boyfriend introduced them, and soon after, Emira was cooking meals for Frankie and they were shopping for wedding rings. They had been married for 4.1 years. I caught Frankie at a good time in his life. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. 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. It makes him not only a good soldier, but a better individual. Emira came to New York to arrange for Frankies funeral mass and burial. Lymon was 14 years old when he began dating Zola Taylor (Berry), the lead singer of the Platters in the mid-1950s. Director Gregory Nava. She's going to call it "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?". Her complaint charged fraud, misappropriation and copyright infringement, among other offenses. Levys attorney responded that the agreements with Elizabeth and Zola amounted to standard industry contracts. This legal drama was made into a movie earlier this year, named after his hit song Why fools fall in love. She is attempting to recover all the royalties from the date of the record's release because -- she alleges -- neither Levy nor his predecessor as cowriter (George Goldner, who discovered and recorded the Teenagers) is actually an author. There may be further delays, though, while that executive faces federal extortion charges. She testified that she and Frankie had started living together shortly after they met. "He had always regarded Zola as his stage mother," Elizabeth explained during the trial. In 1984, as the original copyright term of Why Do Fools Fall In Love was expiring, Emira Eagle Lymon brought suit in the U.S. District Court in New York against Morris Levy, his record label, and his publishing company. Fox), a prison-hardened former shoplifter and prostitute. With the trial about to begin and still believing that he had a firm agreement with Emira, Ronnie ran a second benefit concert in the fall of 1985 to raise additional funds for Frankie Lymons tombstone. They pointed to the contracts that Elizabeth and Zola signed with Levys publishing business, Big Seven Music Corp. Each assigned the songs copyright to Big Seven in exchange for an advance ($10,000 for Elizabeth and $7,500 for Zola) against her share of future royalties. 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. Lymon was 14 years old when he began to date Zola Taylor (Berry), lead singer of the chart-topping group the Platters in the mid-1950s. He changed the spelling of the group's name on the record label to "Kodoks" to avoid a possible lawsuit from Eastman Kodak, and released their first single, "Teenager's Dream" and . Here are 10 you cant miss, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, Moroccan singer convicted of rape in Paris, gets 6-year term, Jonas Brothers promise Broadway residency will be a walk down musics memory lane, Toxic sex, social anxiety, 90s guitars: How L.A.s Blondshell pulled off the rock debut of 2023, Rihanna making the FCC work, work, work, after Super Bowl viewers file 103 complaints, Brad Paisley drops new song featuring President Zelensky to mark one year of Ukraine war. With the matter now in a confused state, the federal judge stayed Emiras lawsuit. 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. Sound Veda Campell. She plays Lemmons second wife. "Frankie wasn't much older, either, when he met the third Mrs. Lymon, Emira Eagle. 2010-02-12 00:06:12. It didnt last long, however. By the time of the trial, publishing rights to the song might have been worth seven figures. The film travels back and forth in time to explore their relationship with the singer. He once told a magazine interviewer that he'd been a pimp since he was 10. "She never disputed his role in the creation and authorship of this song," her attorney says. Kenneth Turan is the former film critic for the Los Angeles Times. Back in Los Angeles, the club where Zola was performing tossed a celebration, with a cake and champagne. Frankie, by 1965, had pretty much been reduced to lip-synching at record hops on the East Coast. She told Span that she never recovered financially from the loss of her home and still feels "cheated." , A thief turns to prostitution to help Lymon fund his drug addiction. "Frankly, we do not believe that the claims set forth in the federal court case have merit," says Terrance McKnight, one of Zola's attorneys. A lot of people say I knew him so long I became like him.. Emira came to New York to arrange for his funeral mass and burial, and she paid the bill -- $2,000. He left no fortune, but his name was listed as one of the songwriters of Why Do Fools Fall In Love. Both Elizabeth's and Zola's attorneys say Emira offered their clients 20 percent (for Elizabeth) and 5 percent (for Zola) of the estate. Elizabeth Waters Found 1,173 people in Florida, Georgia and 49 other states. 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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. Frankie's particular scam, she believed, was getting married. A Rhino Films Production. Ronnie had raised a large amount of money from the benefit concerts and donations, but he had been in limbo because of the legal battle, recalled Bill Olb. They point to the absence of documentation from Mexico as evidence that Zola and Frankie never married at all. Elizabeth Lymon says she married Lymon on Jan. 23, 1964, in Alexandria, Va., and bore him a daughter the following year. These scans come from my rather large magazine collection. Why does the rain fall from up above? He seemed clean during her pregnancy in 1963 and he was genuinely shaken, Elizabeth says, when their daughter Francine died shortly after her birth. co-starring Halle Barry, Lela Rochon and Vivica A. Editor Nancy Richardson. Frankie could fool you, he could fool me, Frankie could fool God. View contact information: phones, addresses, emails and networks. 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. When asked about his association with alleged mob figures, Levy, who was Jewish, responded: "I've been on Broadway 47 years. Zola and Elizabeth declined, but say they were willing to accept an equal, three-way split. Frankie was that kind of person, Your Honor, Elizabeth said. Lymon didn't even leave a grieving widow to serve as keeper of his flame. Despite hearing that Emira had changed her mind, Ronnie maintained faith in their original agreement and ordered a headstone from a company in North Arlington, New Jersey. Emira's attorneys have advised her not to talk to reporters until after the Surrogate Court decision. 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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP6P329DMKY. Thats why were here today.. If Elizabeth or Zola is found to be his widow, they have agreed to share the proceeds of his estate equally. She and Frankie became teenaged lovers in 1956 while they were on an Alan Freed bus tour of 81 one-nighters, each performing with their group along with an all-star cast. Morris Levy had not become a force in the music business through fear alone; he was also very clever. This time his bride was Emira Eagle, an educated, churchgoing elementary school teacher who lived with her family in nearby Augusta. By the time Waters connected with Lymon, he had become a junkie, and she ended up ruining herself trying to pay for his drugs. Zola never saw him alive again. And that led to his 1955 smash hit "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?," singing for Queen Elizabeth II at the London Palladium and performing in nightclubs and theaters worldwide. Privacy Policy Agreement * I agree to the Terms of use and Privacy Policy. "Knowing the facts like I know them, I feel confident there will be an appeal," McCracken predicted. 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. They're awaiting the decision now, the quiet schoolteacher from Georgia, the brassy singer from California and the struggling part-time bill collector from Philadelphia, all nursing their separate memories of life with a former teen idol. Emiras Frankie Lymon is not this drunken bum, Pomeroy said. 1 pop hit for Diana Ross in 1981 and recently turned up in a greeting card commercial. However, it turned out she had been married to someone else at the time. "She was speechless, actually unable to talk," reported the attorney, Dwight Peterson. "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" Span wrote that Frankies relationship with Zola was not entirely maternal. Zola, the older woman, was 17. Elizabeth Lymon said in court papers that she married Lymon on Jan. 23, 1964, in Alexandria, Va., and had his daughter, Gloria Francine, who died shortly after birth in 1965. But Anne Pomeroy of the Artists Rights Enforcement Corp. (which has played a major role in the Lymon case, and about which more later) spoke with Emira at length. The first decision was made in Waterss favor; Eagle appealed, and in 1989 the New York State Supreme Court Appeals Division overturned the original decision and transferred ownership of Lymon to Eagle. She called the work "moonlighting" and testified that she was arrested for it 15 or 20 times. ", 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. His attorney called the charges complete speculation claimed and that there was absolutely no proof of Levy's guilt. When the Emiras case just started, Elizabeth Waters Lymon petitioned the proxy court, claiming that she was the widow of Frankie Lymon and that Zola Taylor was also Objected, claiming to be Lemmons legal widow. The pair claimed they wrote "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" with Frankie Lymon and asked for a declaration of rights to the copyright of the hit song. A pop record might have seemed disposable before the rise of the nostalgia industry. Emiras case was just beginning when Elizabeth Waters Lymon petitioned the Surrogate Court claiming that she was Frankie Lymons widow, and Zola Taylor also objected claiming that she was Lymons rightful widow. 507 residents | Coed by wing | Single and double rooms. Span wrote that Frankie was a soldier for most of his brief marriage to Emira. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. They were married in June 1967 at the Beulah Grove Baptist Church, with 50 members of Emiras family in attendance and a reception afterward at the Capri Lounge. "He was honest, completely honest," Elizabeth insisted, "Up to a point." 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. Her singing group, the Platters, had been even more successful than the Teenagers, and the group was sometimes referred to as the Four Platters and a Dish. By the time Frankie showed up, unannounced, in Los Angeles, Zola had done well for herself. Unfortunately for Elizabeth's claims to the estate, she was then still wed to one Charles Phillips, whom she'd married when she was 16. Army discipline, I think, teaches a man how to protect himself. Executive producers Gregory Nava, Mark Allan, Harold Bronson. Both Elizabeth's and Zola's attorneys said that Emira offered their clients 20 percent (for Elizabeth) and 5 percent (for Zola) of the estate. 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. They were married in June 1967 at the Beulah Grove Baptist Church, with 50 members of Emira's family in attendance and a reception afterward at the Capri Lounge. 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. When she and Frankie fought about it, Elizabeth told the court, he pulled a gun on her and fled. Then he called Elizabeth and urged her to join him. Did Ukraine use innocent civilians as human shield against Russia in the name of evacuation? He told his family that night he was on his way to a gig. Their affair continued off and on for several years. It was modified to just Lymon and Goldner on subsquent recordings for the next decade before Goldner's name was replaced by Levy's. The Teenagers, too, have filed a federal suit saying they're entitled to their share of the proceeds regardless of who Lymon's widow is. While growing up in New York City, I never had much discipline, Lymon said. As a child star, however, I was subjected to discipline from agents, managers and lawyers, but it was a discipline that protected me from myself so to speak. Frankie told Elizabeth that Zola and I arent doing anything; its just a motherly relationship, Elizabeth testified in court. Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()), Michigan Rock and Roll Legends. Zola had also been a teenage star. Last in line is Emira Eagle (Lela Rochon), a demure, well-bred Southern educator. Yes, the three women are gorgeous and talented, and it is fun to see them having at one another. Donald Ray Lymon Sep. 6, 1964 - Jan. 23, 2023 Lie in State Fri. 1/27/23, 4-8pm at Small's Mortuary. Frankie had a very bad year in 1966. He told Elizabeth that "Zola and I aren't doing anything; it's just a motherly relationship," Elizabeth testified. As soon as the hearing began, Emiras attorneys alleged that the other two widows acted in concert with Morris Levy. Borstein, Levy's attorney, says the charges are "complete speculation; there's absolutely no proof.". A pop record seemed disposable then, before the rise of the nostalgia industry. Artists Rights helped secure a financial settlement for Richard Berry, composer of "Louie, Louie" (just before the song starred in a wine cooler ad), and represents several of the artists featured on the "Dirty Dancing" album. 15 or 20 Times tossed a celebration, with a cake and champagne nearby! Speechless, actually unable to talk, '' Elizabeth explained during the trial news! This time his bride was Emira Eagle Lymon Bryant, the legally declared widow '50s! Wind up in court you, he pulled a gun on her and fled Vivica a the! Not only a good soldier, but say they were willing to accept an equal, three-way split movie. 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