LITTLE RICHARD THE FOUNDING FATHER OF ROCK MUSIC (DECEMBER 5, 1932 – MAY 9, 2020)

Richard Wayne Penniman, popularly known as Little Richard, was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Richard was an influential figure in popular music, his most celebrated work dates from the mid-1950s, when his dynamic music and charismatic showmanship laid the foundation for rock and roll, leading him to be given the nickname "The Innovator, The Originator, and The Architect of Rock and Roll". Characterized by his frenetic piano playing and raspy singing voice, Richard's music also played a key role in the formation of other popular music genres, including soul and funk. He influenced numerous singers and musicians across musical genres from rock to hip hop, and his music helped shape rhythm and blues for generations to come.

LITTLE RICHARD

Born in Macon, Georgia, United States Richard was the second of 12 children. He was kicked out of his family's home as a teenager and taken in by a white family, who ran the club where he first performed. He got his start performing jump blues, but his most famous and successful songs like “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally,” and “Good Golly Miss Molly” came in the mid-1950s.

LITTLE RICHARD WAS A FRENETIC PIANO PLAYER

His music was covered by contemporaries like Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Bill Haley. A wave of young British musicians: the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Rod Stewart, and Lemmy Kilmister, to name a few cited Little Richard as an influence. Elsewhere in the world, Richard was being studied by soul stars including Otis Redding, James Brown, Michael Jackson and rock icons Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, AC/DC.

LITTLE RICHARD HAD A RASPY SINGING VOICE

Little Richard sold more than 30 million records worldwide and was among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's first class of inductees in 1986. He received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy and performed at Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration in 1992. The Library of Congress added “Tutti Frutti” to the National Recording Registry in 2010.

LITTLE RICHARD ON ELECTRIC PIANO

Little Richard died on May 9, 2020 and will be remembered as a founding father of Rock and Roll Music alongside with Fats Domino and Chuck Berry.