Biography platter taylor zola
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Halle Berry portrayed Taylor in the 1998 Lymon biopic “Why Do Fools Fall In Love”. However, it turned out she had been married to someone else at the time. In 1984 Zola made headlines when she laid claim to the royalties of Frankie Lymon, the pop idol author and singer of the 1950s classics “I’m Not a Juvenile Delinquent” and “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?”.
Emira Eagle, his third wife, appealed and won a reversal based on her claim that she was Lymon's first wife.
Accomplishments, death and legacy
Taylor appeared with The Platters in the first rock'n'roll film, Rock Around the Clock.
Their relationship, however, was marked by significant challenges, including a notable age difference—Taylor at 18 and Lymon just 13 or 14 at the outset—which drew scrutiny in the conservative 1950s music world. 1 in 1956) and "Twilight Time" (No. Their paths crossed prominently during Alan Freed's 1956 "Biggest Rock 'n' Roll Show of the Year" bus tour, a grueling schedule of 81 one-night stands that featured the Platters alongside Lymon's group, the Teenagers.
By demonstrating that a woman's voice could seamlessly blend with male leads, Taylor influenced the evolution of gender dynamics in R&B, encouraging ensembles to diversify lineups and expand expressive possibilities in the genre.[13][12][14]Her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 as an original member of The Platters, with her signature featured on the group's commemorative plaque, along with posthumous tributes such as 2007 memorial events including a dedicated service at Angelus Funeral Home in Los Angeles, have solidified Taylor's place in music history.
This outcome awarded Eagle administrative rights over the estate and a share of the song's royalties, which had exceeded $1 million by then, primarily from renewed licensing and covers. The first hearing, held in Philadelphia, was decided in favor of Waters being Lymon's first wife. As Lymon captivated audiences as the charismatic frontman of the Teenagers, Taylor balanced her role in the Platters' harmonious hits, creating moments of camaraderie amid the chaos of constant travel and sold-out shows.
But she was unable to produce a marriage certificate and one of two other women claiming to be Lymon's widow was awarded his estate. Tributes in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame discussions often highlight her as a trailblazer among the inductees, emphasizing her role in the group's soulful transition from doo-wop to broader R&B appeal.[5][31]Taylor's life and career have been portrayed in media that underscore her cultural significance, particularly through Halle Berry's acclaimed performance as Taylor in the 1998 biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love, which dramatized her relationships and contributions to early rock and roll.
This depiction brought renewed attention to her story, portraying her as a resilient figure navigating fame and personal challenges in the 1950s music scene.[13][33]Music historians regard Taylor's contributions to The Platters' crossover achievements as profoundly understated, crediting her vocal versatility with helping the group secure mainstream pop success while confronting the intersecting barriers of race and gender that limited Black female artists during the era.
Taylor was the second of Frankie Lymon's three wives.
Zola Taylor
Emira Eagle's 1967 marriage was also deemed invalid, as it occurred while Lymon was still legally wed to Waters.[27][28]Eagle appealed the surrogate court's decision, leading to a reversal by the New York Court of Appeals in December 1989, which recognized her as Lymon's lawful widow after determining Waters had not dissolved her previous marriage, rendering her union with Lymon bigamous and void.
She died from complications of pneumonia on April 30, 2007, at age 69, and was portrayed by Halle Berry in the 1998 biographical film Why Do Fools Fall in Love, which dramatized her life and relationship with Lymon.[2][4][1]
Early life and career
Childhood and family background
Zola Taylor was born Zoletta Lynn Taylor on March 17, 1938, in Los Angeles, California.[6]She was the daughter of George M.Taylor and Phedora E. Edmond.[7] George Taylor died around 1939, leaving Phedora as a widow raising young Zola in Los Angeles.[8] By the 1940 census, mother and daughter were residing together in the city, where the local cultural environment of post-Depression era Los Angeles provided early exposure to music through community and media channels.[8]Taylor demonstrated an early interest in singing, participating in school performances and community events during the 1940s, which foreshadowed her musical pursuits.
Zola Taylor died in Riverside, CA at age 69, from pneumonia, following a series of strokes. As Waters' claim went to court, Taylor claimed that she had been sexually active with Lymon as early as the "Biggest Rock "n" Roll Show of 1956" tour. Recognizing the need to distinguish the all-male quintet from competing R&B ensembles amid the era's shifting trends toward more versatile vocal arrangements, Ram recruited 16-year-old Zola Taylor as the first female member to incorporate a contralto voice into their harmonies.[11][13]Taylor, who had been performing with the all-female group the Queens under Ram's management, was directly scouted and integrated without a formal audition process, leveraging her existing vocal experience for a seamless transition.
Zola Taylor was portrayed by Halle Berry in the 1998 film Why Do Fools Fall in Love.
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Elizabeth Waters claimed to have married Lymon in 1964 in Virginia. Compounding this were Lymon's emerging struggles with drug addiction; introduced to heroin around age 15, his dependency intensified over time, straining their bond and contributing to personal turmoil during their intermittent years together.[20][22][2]The on-and-off romance persisted through Lymon's declining career in the late 1950s and early 1960s, ultimately fraying amid his deepening substance issues and the pressures of fame's fallout, leading to a breakup by the mid-1960s.