Little Richard was one of the wildest early stars of rock’n’roll. He claimed (with as much modesty as he could muster) to be “the originator and the emancipator,” and “the architect of rock’n’roll.” He was at least partially correct in this boast; like a force of nature, Richard’s ecstatic abandon made him the first rock’n’roll performer to seem truly “possessed” by the music he created—ultimately helping to define the spirit of the genre.
Richard Wayne Penniman was born in Macon, Georgia, on December 5, 1932. He began singing locally at age eight, and when still a child assumed the name he made famous as an adult. By his early teens, he was touring with minstrel shows, singing in blues bands, performing in drag at gay clubs, and touring with B. Brown and Sugarfoot Sam. Even in the 1950s, when homosexuality was rarely acknowledged, Richard never attempted to conceal his sexual orientation. Although Richard was pointedly flamboyant in his actions and appearance, it’s doubtful many in the “straight” world ever caught on.
In February 1955, singer Lloyd Price heard Richard and told him to send a demo to Price’s label, Specialty Records. Specialty paired Richard with producer Robert “Bumps” Blackwell, and though Blackwell was actually looking out for Specialty’s answer to Ray CHARLES, the partnership was successful. Together they recorded 12 tracks in New Orleans in September 1955. These included “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally,” “Rip It Up,” and “Ready Teddy.” Many of these songs were based on bawdy numbers Richard had picked up from prostitutes during his travels, and some incorporated figures from African-American folklore.
Regardless of the sources for his material, it was Richard himself—the wild pompadour, the falsetto howl, the piano-pounding fury—that thrilled listeners. “Tutti Frutti” launched Richard’s career, and the follow-up, “Long Tall Sally,” climbed into the Top 10 on the pop charts. His successes continued over the next year and a half with “Lucille,” “Keep-a-Knockin’,” and “Jenny Jenny.” At the peak of his popularity in 1957, Richard stunned the music world when, midway through a tour of Australia, he announced he was abandoning rock’n’roll to train for the ministry. The tour’s promoters were furious, as was Specialty’s owner Art Rupe, who threatened to sue Richard. In order to continue recouping from his investment, Rupe released some recorded material that had been shelved. He had considered these songs, such as “Good Golly Miss Molly,” to be poorly performed or lacking in commercial potential. As for Richard, between 1958 and 1962, he only played gospel music.
Richard returned to rock’n’roll in the early 1960s, touring the U.K. with the BEATLES and the ROLLING STONES. Although the music that Richard helped create was forever changed by these bands, he was still considered a dynamic live act. He continued to record and tour—a young Jimi HENDRIX played in one of his bands—but he never regained the popularity he had in the 1950s, despite upstaging both Janis Joplin in 1968,and John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band’s debut in 1969.During the 1970s Richard’s loyalty continued to oscillate between the church and rock’n’roll.
Richard was one of the original inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, and remained active in show business into the late 1990s, as a musician, actor, awards presenter, and all-round colourful celebrity. Although his over-the-top personality and boastfulness often sank into caricature, Little Richard was unique, and rock’n’roll would have been very different without him.
Greg Bower
SEE ALSO:
BLUES; GOSPEL; LEWIS, JERRY LEE; ROCK’N’ROLL; SOUL.
FURTHER READING
White, Charles. The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Quasar of Rock (London: Pan, 1985).
SUGGESTED LISTENING
20 Classic Cuts; The Georgia Peach; Rock Legends; Rock’n ’roll Resurrection.