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-Woops.
Negroni, who had a baritone voice, and his friends called themselves the "Ermines" with Santiago as lead singer. On one occasion the Ermines 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".
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