Negroni's family moved from Puerto Rico to New York City in the 1930s during the Great Depression era.

[1] Negroni, who had a baritone voice, and his friends called themselves the "Ermines" with Santiago as lead singer.

They started jamming together, and the Premiers were impressed with the sound of Lynon's high tenor/boy soprano voice.

Santiago, who was the lead singer, was ill and could not accompany the other members; therefore, he gave Negroni the music sheet with the words to the song that he had written.

The song was "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (which was originally reworked from a poem called "Why Do Birds Sing So Gay").

[3] 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.

[4] In the 1998 film "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," the role of Negroni was played by actor Jon Huertas.