Joe Negroni

Jose Negroni (September 9, 1940 – September 5, 1978) was an American singer of Puerto Rican descent. He was a rock and roll pioneer and founding member of the rock and roll group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.

Early years Negroni's family moved from Puerto Rico to New York City in the 1930s during the Great Depression era. The family lived in Manhattan, where Negroni met and befriended Herman Santiago. In the early 1950s, Negroni, Santiago, and two other friends, Jimmy Merchant and Sherman Garnes, would get together in front of Santiago's stoops (building stairs) and sing songs to the beat of Doo-Wops.

Negroni, who had a baritone voice, and his friends called themselves the "Ermines" with Santiago as lead singer. On one occasion, they performed alongside the "Cadillacs" at P.S. 143 (Public School 143). The Ermines changed their name to "Coupe de Villes" and later to "The Premiers".

The "Teenagers" Negroni was 5 foot 8 as a teenager and an adult. In 1954, 12-year-old Frankie Lymon worked in a grocery store. One night, The Premiers and Lymon's brother performed in a talent show held at JHS Stitt (Junior High School Stitt). Lymon approached The Premiers, telling them how good they sounded. They started jamming together, and the Premiers were impressed with the sound of Lymon's high tenor/boy soprano voice.

In 1993, Joe Negroni, Herman Santiago, Frankie Lymon, Jimmy Merchant, and Sherman Garnes—the original members of "the Teenagers"—were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2000, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. In the 1998 film "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," the role of Negroni was played by actor Jon Huertas.