▁Te en agers . ▁The ▁group ▁was ▁composed ▁of ▁five ▁boys , ▁all ▁in ▁their ▁early ▁to ▁mid - te ens . ▁The ▁original ▁line up ▁of ▁the ▁Te en agers , ▁an ▁integrated ▁group , ▁included ▁three ▁African - American ▁members , ▁Frank ie ▁L ym on , ▁Jimmy ▁Mer chant , ▁and ▁Sh erman ▁G arn es ; ▁and ▁two ▁Puerto ▁R ican ▁members , ▁Joe ▁Neg ron i ▁and ▁H erman ▁Santiago . ▁The ▁Te en agers ' ▁first ▁single , ▁ 1 9 5 6 ' s ▁" Why ▁Do ▁F ools ▁Fall ▁in ▁Love ," ▁was ▁also ▁their ▁biggest ▁hit . ▁After ▁L ym on ▁went ▁solo ▁in ▁mid - 1 9 5 7 , ▁both ▁his ▁career ▁and ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁Te en agers ▁fell ▁into ▁decl ine . ▁He ▁was ▁found ▁dead ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 5 ▁on ▁the ▁floor ▁of ▁his ▁grand m other ' s ▁bath room ▁from ▁a ▁hero in ▁over d ose . ▁His ▁life ▁was ▁dram at ized ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁film ▁Why ▁Do ▁F ools ▁Fall ▁In ▁Love . ▁ ▁Biography ▁▁ 1 9 4 2 – 5 6 : ▁Early ▁life / Jo ining ▁the ▁Te en agers ▁L ym on ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Har lem , ▁New ▁York ▁on ▁September ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁to ▁Jean ette ▁and ▁Howard ▁L ym on . ▁Howard ▁was ▁a ▁tr uck ▁driver ▁and ▁Jean ette ▁was ▁a ▁ma id .