elizabeth waters lymon obituaryelizabeth waters lymon obituary

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. LYMON REESE OBITUARY. 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. For Frankie had helped himself to hers. 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. 1 pop hit for Diana Ross in 1981 and recently turned up in a greeting card commercial. It is Frankie Lymon's only real legacy, that two minutes and 15 seconds of doo-wop. Her obituary was posted on February 9, 2023. Elizabeth, now 46, said she had been born again, but she still strove for glamor, her skirt fashionably above the knee, her fingernails long and orange. 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. There may be further delays, though, while that executive faces federal extortion charges. Emira came to New York to arrange for his funeral mass and burial, and she paid the bill -- $2,000. According to Span, Rubin was not opposed to generating new income from old music. The names of Frankie Lymon and Morris Levy were now listed as the songwriters. It is in fact three wives who face the camera, one after another, each claiming to be Lymons true love and legal spouse. Levy ruled his empire with an iron hand, using both fear and intimidation as part of his business model. Her adversary, Morris Levy, was a powerful force in the music business. He claimed that both women thought that their agreements with Levy were fair, and that neither planned to take legal action against him if she is found to be Frankies widow. "He had the type of personality that would draw people," she said. Army discipline, I think, teaches a man how to protect himself. Aside from Waters, the winner of this legal round is Morris Levy, head of Roulette Records, among the defendants when Eagle brought a federal suit in 1984. Frankie was that kind of person, Your Honor, Elizabeth said. The Platters. Dr. William Eugene Sexton Age 88 Hephzibah, GA, GA Dr. William Eugene Sexton, 88, husband of 69 years to Martha Frances Greenway Sexton, entered into rest Wednesday, February 22, 2023. Zola Taylor Lymon, now 50, one of the original Platters, had flown in from Los Angeles. Most record buyers did not become aware of this latest change until the Happenings recorded a cover version of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love" in 1967 with Levy's name listed on the label. Frankie's particular scam, she thinks, was getting married. The following month, Zola testified that she and Frankie drove to Tijuana and got married in a tiny chapel. Best Answer. A decision was reached in November, but the case would not end there. Emira's attorneys have advised her not to talk to reporters until after the Surrogate Court decision. Lymon was one of hundreds of kids in Harlem who had taken to street-corner harmonizing in the 1950s, rehearsing in apartment house hallways and echoey subway stations. 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. An act could rise and fall with astonishing swiftness then. We played down certain things and fudged others to make it work as a film," said director Gregory . The marriage to Eagle is valid, so she is entitled to a fief. He was back in New York where, Elizabeth and several other witnesses swore, he said that his marriage to Zola had been only a publicity stunt. Executive producers Gregory Nava, Mark Allan, Harold Bronson. 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. He lived for 26 years, was a star for one and a half of them, and left behind a miserable financial and legal mess and three wounded women. Though Navas soapy directing style makes Fools watchable enough in a campy way, the films unsophisticated nature undermines its better qualities. They point to the absence of documentation from Mexico as evidence that Zola and Frankie never married at all. Interment: Whispering Pines Cem. That eventually led to singing on street corners with friends and being discovered at age 12 by George Goldner of GEE Records. "Some drug users, they rob, they steal, and they do everything to sustain that habit." probe. She told the court that she wanted to help him get back on his feet and regain all he had lost, but that trying to help him wasnt easy. He was a hustler, a liar and a thief. Why Do Fools Fall In Love was a prime example, and its publishing rights may have earned a lot of money by 1984, according to Chuck Rubin of Artists Rights Enforcement Corp. Rubin established his organization in 1981 to represent artists who he believed had been deprived of their earnings by their record companies. Her divorce from Phillips was not finalized until 1965. He is skeptical, too, about some of the harrowing descriptions of Lymon that have surfaced during the legal jousting. Span wrote that Frankies relationship with Zola was not entirely maternal. Whie serving at Ft. Gordon in Georgia, Frankie married again. Watch a performance of "Little Boy And Girl" by Pearl McKinnon and the Kodakshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP6P329DMKY. And while Fools ends with an on-screen disclaimer that it is a dramatization based upon certain historical events and the lives of real people, its inability to incorporate key elements of the real Lymon story hampers it dramatically. Key parts of this chronology are in dispute, of course. Yes, the three women are gorgeous and talented, and it is fun to see them having at one another. Elizabeths attorneys argued in response that she and Frankie lived in Philadelphia and therefore established a common-law marriage under Pennsylvania law. ", 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 figured that once the case was over there would be no problem," Olb recalled. A Rhino Films Production. That suit was suspended while Lambert determined which woman was Lymon's widow. Unfortunately, shes also involved in the films least convincing area, the jarring sections that deal with the troubles brought on by Lymons habit. She met Frankie when he was 20-years-old, backstage at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. became part of the "American Graffiti" sound track and album, was a No. With the matter now in a confused state, the federal judge stayed Emiras lawsuit. Her singing group, the Platters, was sometimes referred to as the Four Platters and a Dish; Zola, in her low-cut gowns, was the dish. Lymon didn't even leave a grieving widow to serve as keeper of his flame. Similarly, one of the unexamined factors in his turning to hard drugs was apparently the difficulties caused by his voice beginning to change. Emira's attorneys have alleged that the other two widows "acted in concert" with Levy, and point to contracts that Zola and Elizabeth each signed with Levy's publishing business, Big Seven Music Corp. Each assigned the song's copyright to Big Seven in exchange for an advance ($10,000 in Elizabeth's case, $7,500 in Zola's) against her share of future royalties. Then he called Elizabeth and urged her to join him. Undisputed, however, was the song's impact. The film travels back and forth in time to explore their relationship with the singer. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I know its been good for me.. During 1965, the copyright for Why Do Fools Fall In Love was changed. Back in Los Angeles, the club where Zola was performing tossed a celebration, with a cake and champagne. "She never disputed his role in the creation and authorship of this song," her attorney says. (Diana Ross also had a hit with it), "Goody Goody," "Little Bitty Pretty One" and "Im Not a Juvenile Delinquent.". This trio first meets as a group in 1985 in the offices of Morris Levy (Paul Mazursky), the shrewd operator whose company released Lymons hits. Consequently, he left behind a tangled and miserable legal and financial mess along with three wounded women. Next comes the feisty Elizabeth Waters (Vivica A. She let him live in her hillside house with instructions to pay bills out of an allowance forwarded to him by her attorney. However, it turned out she had been married to someone else at the time. November 2, 1988 NEW YORK -- The judge who last winter heard three middle-aged women testify to their heartaches with the late Frankie Lymon -- the doo-wop idol who cowrote and sang "Why Do Fools. ", Meanwhile, Paula Span used both interviews and court testimony to profile each of the widows in her story. Set decorator Jackie Carr. Emira Eagle Lymon. Royalties were underestimated or simply never paid. Morris Levy - Roulette Records. 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. So the trial went forward. Zola Taylor Lymon, who was 50, had flown in from Los Angeles. Running time: 1 hour, 56 minutes. She called the work "moonlighting" and testified that she was arrested for it 15 or 20 times. Elizabeth, now 46, says she's been born again, but she still strives for glamor, her skirt fashionably above the knee, her fingernails long and orange. I feel sorry for him, most of all," echoes Zola. In December 1989, the New York Supreme Court ruled that Bryant was Lymons only legal wife. Im sure it probably would bring back some good memories, she said of the show that was being staged at the Imperial. If Emira wins, she'll share the proceeds with Chuck Rubin and go after Morris Levy. 507 residents | Coed by wing | Single and double rooms. A memorial service. "Remember, Frankie needed the money badly," Borstein says. The losing widows might appeal. Cheesborough. This answer is: Although Emiras attorneys advised her not to talk to Paula Span until the Surrogate Court reached a decision, Anne Pomeroy of the Artist Rights Enforcement Corporation, who was working with Emiras lawyers, spoke with the reporter. Lymon signed with both 20th Century Fox Records and Columbia Records, but both deals were short-lived. This time his bride was Emira Eagle, an educated, churchgoing elementary school teacher who lived with her family in nearby Augusta. Recording costs and commissions for everyone from managers to choreographers could siphon off much of a groups earnings. "They wanted to impress their friends in school" by being on the radio. 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. Click the "All Sizes" button above to read an article or to see the image clearly. US fails miserably against Russia at the crucial UN Vote. 22, 2021. Zola: "I perform all over the world"), she arrived at court daily in a limousine. 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. (All three women used the surname Lymon in court documents at least part of the time.) I caught Frankie at a good time in his life. 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. "I'm not a person to hold a grudge. By the time Waters connected with Lymon, he had become a junkie, and she ended up ruining herself trying to pay for his drugs. The Associated Press AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) Funeral services have been held for the widow of '50s rock star Frankie Lymon. The retired Richmond County schoolteacher in her years after Lymon was married to Augustan Leroy Bryant. NEW YORK -- The judge who last winter heard three middle-aged women testify to their heartaches with the late Frankie Lymon -- the doo-wop idol who cowrote and sang "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" and died 20 years ago of a heroin overdose -- has found Elizabeth Waters, 46, of Philadelphia, to be Lymon's legal widow. Wiki User. 1, "that would draw people to him.". By the time I met Frankie, he was a record deal-needing, broke ass, scam-on-his-momma-for-a-fix druggie! So Lymon was already a 20-year-old has-been when he met Elizabeth Waters backstage at the Audubon Ballroom. 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. He told Zola that the new house guest was "a friend from New York," Zola remembers. Years later, in the wainscoted courtroom where Lymon's love life was being retraced in painful detail, Elizabeth turned to the judge. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. He was told, after he raised the money, that she didnt want the headstone for the grave and that he wasnt authorized to put it on there.. 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. 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 That case can now proceed, their attorney says. Art director John Chicester. "Knowing the facts like I know them, I feel confident there will be an appeal," McCracken predicted. He also represented several of the artists featured on the "Dirty Dancing" album. 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. Levy was the head of Roulette Records, the independent label that bought out the Gee label which originally released the record. It was Bryant who was depicted in the 1998 movie "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" Editor Nancy Richardson. Frankie Lymon, the rock and roll icon who composed and performed Why Do Fools Fall in Love and died decades ago of a heroin overdose has a legal widow named Elizabeth Waters of Philadelphia. Your email address will not be published. "Up to a point." Get our L.A. Her only marriage lasted 4.1 years. Zola has been unable to locate records documenting their Mexican wedding, or documenting her Mexican divorce from her previous marriage (her second). Emira Eagle Lymon Bryant, the legally declared widow of '50s teenage rock star Frankie Lymon, died Saturday at AU Medical Center. Next comes the feisty Elizabeth Waters (Vivica A. "The only thing {Morris Levy} had to do with it was to collect the money," Santiago says. They had been married for 4.1 years. But he will apparently have little trouble with Elizabeth Waters. The opinion by Surrogate Court Judge Marie Lambert entitles Waters to an estate that may be worth $750,000 in accumulated royalties from Lymon's 1956 hit and its more recent incarnations. None of the many tracks they made together or separately ever duplicated the jubilance of their early records. 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. Frankie had a very bad year in 1966. Also Read:Antoinette Giancana Biography, Family and Movies. They were there in Surrogate Court -- the three would-be widows and their teams of lawyers and witnesses -- for 10 days this past December and January, raking over the past. Also Read:Family of Lorenzo Dominic Lavalle. 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. He followed it with Im Not a Juvenile Delinquent, I Want You to Be My Girl and other songs characterized by his trademark piercing high voice. Borstein also said 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. Who wrote "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"? "Even though she had said no, she had said yes in the beginning; so Ronnie went ahead without going back and contacting Emira again. Elizabeth Waters - Director STEM Outreach - The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | LinkedIn Elizabeth Waters Director STEM Outreach at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of. Owning the rights to 1950s rock and roll songs meant more in the 1980s than it did when they were hits. Zola Taylor Lymon. 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. As soon as the hearing began, Emiras attorneys alleged that the other two widows acted in concert with Morris Levy. Levy had been arrested earlier in 1986 as part of the F.B.I. His bride was Emira Eagle, an elementary school teacher who lived with her family in nearby Augusta. And yet -- what was it about him? "He had been busted in California again for drugs. "He was honest, completely honest," Elizabeth insisted, "Up to a point." If none of the women is Frankie's widow, the surviving members of his family stand to inherit. Back in the 1950s, when a star-struck group like the Teenagers finally got to audition for the head of a record company, such matters as copyright barely figured in the conversation. The doo-wop classic (its earnings boosted by Diana Ross' 1981 version and by its use in a greeting card commercial) was recorded by Lymon's group the Teenagers. It spent months on the pop charts, led to national tours and TV appearances and bubble-gum cards with the Teenagers' picture on them. And that was that, the last of the hits. "He had such presence, he'd just take over a stage and wipe an audience out. Waters bore Lymon's only known child, a daughter who died shortly after birth. 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