Herman Santiago
Encyclopedia
Herman Santiago is a rock and roll
pioneer and songwriter who claimed to have written the iconic hit "Why Do Fools Fall In Love
".
and raised in Manhattan, New York. In the early 1950s Santiago and friends, 2nd tenor Jimmy Merchant, fellow Puerto Rican
Joe Negroni
a baritone, and bassman Sherman Garnes, would meet in front of Santiago's apartment stoop in New York City to sing acapella versions of hits of the day. They originally called themselves the "Ermines" and Santiago was their lead singer. On one occasion the "Ermines" participated in a talent show at PS 143 (Public School 143), at which another group, "The Cadillacs
" were guests. After the show, in honor of the "Cadillacs", they changed their name to the "Coupe de Villes." This name only lasted a short time and they soon changed it to the "Premiers."
In 1955, 12 year old Frankie Lymon
, who sang with his brothers Lewis and Howie, was working in a grocery store as a bag boy. He met the "Premiers" backstage at an amateur show and "jammed" with them. Lymon was quickly invited to join them, initially singing first tenor behind Santiago's lead. That same year Richard Barrett, a talent scout and producer for Rama Records (and also the lead singer of the "Valentines"), heard them singing and introduced them to George Goldner
, the record company's owner. Goldner signed them to a contract and changed the group's name once more, this time to The Teenagers.
hit by an American rock & roll vocal group. Single releases followed at 3 month intervals, the next three, "I Want You to Be My Girl," "I Promise to Remember"-- written by Jimmy Castor—and "ABC's of Love" all making the charts, but at progressively lower positions. "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" b/w "Share", and "Out in the Cold Again," released in early 1957, did not chart. In London
the group played at the Palladium
. Alan Freed
, a former American disc-jockey who became internationally known for promoting African-American rhythm and blues music, signed them for two movies, Rock, Rock, Rock
and Mr. Rock and Roll
.
The surviving members of the group reunited in the 1970s, with Pearl McKinnon of the Kodaks (who sounds remarkably like Lymon) singing lead for a time. But by 1978, Garnes had died from a heart attack
and Negroni from a cerebral hemorrhage on September 5, 1978. Santiago and Merchant continued on with various new members including most notably Jimmy Castor, Lewis Lymon (Frankie's brother), and Timothy Wilson of Tiny Tim & the Hits, their most recent lead singer. As of 2005, Jimmy Merchant has retired.
recorded a new version of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love", which again became a hit and the royalties on the song passed over a million dollars.
In 1986, three women claiming to be Lymon's widow filed a law suit in New York's Superior Court claiming the rights to the song. It was revealed that Goldner conned "the Teenagers" into signing a contract which was not valid by law and that the song was in fact written by Herman Santiago and that he (Goldner) had received all of the royalties and that Santiago never received a cent as author of the song; the Court then ruled that none of the widows were entitled to the rights of the song.
In December 1992, the U.S. federal court ruled that the rights to the song belonged to Herman Santiago and that Jimmy Merchant and Emira Lymon (the true widow) were also entitled to receive royalties dating back to 1969. Herman Santiago was by now homeless and living in a car when he received the news and soon went from being homeless to becoming a millionaire.
However, in 1996 the ruling was reversed by the Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit (on the basis of the statute of limitations), and authorship of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" currently remains solely in the names of Frankie Lymon and music publisher Morris Levy
. The song is currently owned by EMI
Music Publishing.
and in 2000 into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
. In the 1998 film Why Do Fools Fall In Love
, the role of Santiago was played by actor Alexis Cruz
.
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
pioneer and songwriter who claimed to have written the iconic hit "Why Do Fools Fall In Love
Why Do Fools Fall in Love (song)
"Why Do Fools Fall in Love" is a song that was originally a hit for early New York City-based rock and roll group Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers in 1956. It reached No. 1 on the R&B chart, No. 6 on Billboards Pop Singles chart, and number one on the UK Singles Chart...
".
Early years
Santiago was born in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
and raised in Manhattan, New York. In the early 1950s Santiago and friends, 2nd tenor Jimmy Merchant, fellow Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
Joe Negroni
Joe Negroni
Joe Negroni was a rock and roll pioneer and founding member of the rock and roll group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.-Early years:...
a baritone, and bassman Sherman Garnes, would meet in front of Santiago's apartment stoop in New York City to sing acapella versions of hits of the day. They originally called themselves the "Ermines" and Santiago was their lead singer. On one occasion the "Ermines" participated in a talent show at PS 143 (Public School 143), at which another group, "The Cadillacs
The Cadillacs
The Cadillacs were an American rock and roll and doo-wop group from Harlem, New York; active from 1953 to 1962. The group was noted for their 1955 hit "Speedoo", which was instrumental in attracting White audiences to Black rock and roll performers.-History:...
" were guests. After the show, in honor of the "Cadillacs", they changed their name to the "Coupe de Villes." This name only lasted a short time and they soon changed it to the "Premiers."
In 1955, 12 year old Frankie Lymon
Frankie Lymon
Franklin Joseph "Frankie" Lymon was an American rock and roll/rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of a New York City-based early rock and roll group, The Teenagers. The group was composed of five boys, all in their early to mid teens...
, who sang with his brothers Lewis and Howie, was working in a grocery store as a bag boy. He met the "Premiers" backstage at an amateur show and "jammed" with them. Lymon was quickly invited to join them, initially singing first tenor behind Santiago's lead. That same year Richard Barrett, a talent scout and producer for Rama Records (and also the lead singer of the "Valentines"), heard them singing and introduced them to George Goldner
George Goldner
George Goldner was an American record label owner and promoter. He worked, amongst others, with The Crows, The Flamingos, The Cleftones, The Shangri-Las, The Teenagers, The Chantels, Little Richard and Lou Christie. He had a son named Cary and a wife named Grace...
, the record company's owner. Goldner signed them to a contract and changed the group's name once more, this time to The Teenagers.
"Why Do Fools Fall in Love"
The following day the group was supposed to meet with Mr. Goldner in the studio for a recording session. Santiago had a sore throat and could not sing the lead vocal of the song he had written, "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," and therefore, gave Negroni the music sheet with the words to the song. Frankie Lymon filled in for Santiago, however according to Jimmy Merchant, once the precocious Lymon became an established member of the group, his vocal talent and instinctive stage presence made him the obvious choice to be the group's lead vocalist, and Santiago graciously stepped aside.Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
Goldner released the record, with "Please Be Mine" on the "B" side, under the name "Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers", on his new "Gee Records" subsidiary, in January 1956. The record became an instant hit in the U.S and the U.K. It also became the first top BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
hit by an American rock & roll vocal group. Single releases followed at 3 month intervals, the next three, "I Want You to Be My Girl," "I Promise to Remember"-- written by Jimmy Castor—and "ABC's of Love" all making the charts, but at progressively lower positions. "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" b/w "Share", and "Out in the Cold Again," released in early 1957, did not chart. In London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
the group played at the Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
. Alan Freed
Alan Freed
Albert James "Alan" Freed , also known as Moondog, was an American disc-jockey. He became internationally known for promoting the mix of blues, country and rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll...
, a former American disc-jockey who became internationally known for promoting African-American rhythm and blues music, signed them for two movies, Rock, Rock, Rock
Rock, Rock, Rock
Rock, Rock, Rock is a soundtrack album for the motion picture of the same name and is now considered Chuck Berry's first album. Only four songs on this album actually appear in the film. Eight songs by Chuck Berry, The Moonglows and The Flamingos make up the balance of the songs...
and Mr. Rock and Roll
Mr. Rock and Roll
"Mr Rock & Roll" is a single by Scottish singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald, released on July 16, 2007. It was her first full single after the limited online release of "Poison Prince", and was released on CD and 7" vinyl. It charted at #1 in the Scottish Singles Charts and #12 in the United Kingdom...
.
The Teenagers go "solo"
In 1957, Lymon left "the Teenagers" and went solo, turning in a pop direction with the hit "Goody Goody." He made several comeback attempts, and died of a heroin overdose in February 1968 at age 25. Lymon admitted to Ebony magazine in 1967, the year before his death, that he was first introduced to heroin by a woman twice his age, when he was 15. The rest of the group continued without him, recruiting various lead singers, making records of varying quality, and having no commercial success. The group broke up in 1961, with the members taking regular jobs.The surviving members of the group reunited in the 1970s, with Pearl McKinnon of the Kodaks (who sounds remarkably like Lymon) singing lead for a time. But by 1978, Garnes had died from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and Negroni from a cerebral hemorrhage on September 5, 1978. Santiago and Merchant continued on with various new members including most notably Jimmy Castor, Lewis Lymon (Frankie's brother), and Timothy Wilson of Tiny Tim & the Hits, their most recent lead singer. As of 2005, Jimmy Merchant has retired.
Controversy
In 1981, Diana RossDiana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
recorded a new version of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love", which again became a hit and the royalties on the song passed over a million dollars.
In 1986, three women claiming to be Lymon's widow filed a law suit in New York's Superior Court claiming the rights to the song. It was revealed that Goldner conned "the Teenagers" into signing a contract which was not valid by law and that the song was in fact written by Herman Santiago and that he (Goldner) had received all of the royalties and that Santiago never received a cent as author of the song; the Court then ruled that none of the widows were entitled to the rights of the song.
In December 1992, the U.S. federal court ruled that the rights to the song belonged to Herman Santiago and that Jimmy Merchant and Emira Lymon (the true widow) were also entitled to receive royalties dating back to 1969. Herman Santiago was by now homeless and living in a car when he received the news and soon went from being homeless to becoming a millionaire.
However, in 1996 the ruling was reversed by the Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit (on the basis of the statute of limitations), and authorship of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" currently remains solely in the names of Frankie Lymon and music publisher Morris Levy
Morris Levy
Morris Levy was an American music industry executive, best known as the founder and owner of Roulette Records...
. The song is currently owned by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
Music Publishing.
Hall of Fame
In 1993, the original members of "the Teenagers"—Herman Santiago, Frankie Lymon, Sherman Garnes, Joe Negroni and Jimmy Merchant—were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
and in 2000 into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Vocal Group Hall of Fame
The Vocal Group Hall of Fame was organized to honor outstanding vocal groups throughout the world. It is headquartered in Sharon, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes a theater and a museum....
. In the 1998 film Why Do Fools Fall In Love
Why Do Fools Fall in Love (film)
Why Do Fools Fall in Love is an American romantic drama, directed by Gregory Nava and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film is a biographical film of the brief but intense life of R&B/Rock & Roll singer Frankie Lymon, lead singer of the pioneering rock and roll group Frankie Lymon & the...
, the role of Santiago was played by actor Alexis Cruz
Alexis Cruz
Alexis Cruz is an American actor, known for his performances as Rafael in Touched by an Angel and as Skaara in Stargate and Stargate SG-1. Cruz was born in The Bronx, New York of Puerto Rican descent. His mother, Julia, was a songwriter. He currently resides in Los Angeles. He went to Boston...
.
See also
- List of Puerto Rican songwriters
- List of famous Puerto Ricans