Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
They were arguably the first group of teen idols in the rock ‘n roll/R&B era, setting a template that everyone from the Jackson 5 to New Edition would follow. But Frankie Lymon and his group were swindled out of songwriting royalties—most notably for their biggest hit, “Why Do Fools Fall In Love.” Notorious music manager Morris Levy issued the single with himself listed as songwriter, reaping the benefits for decades after the song became a doo-wop classic. Lymon died penniless in 1968.
