Posted on 05/09/2020 7:00:58 AM PDT by mkleesma
X/Shutterstock
Little Richard, a founding father of rock and roll whose fervent shrieks, flamboyant garb, and joyful, gender-bending persona embodied the spirit and sound of that new art form, died Saturday. He was 87. The musician’s son, Danny Penniman, confirmed the pioneer’s death to Rolling Stone, but said the cause of death was unknown.
Starting with “Tutti Frutti” in 1956, Little Richard cut a series of unstoppable hits – “Long Tall Sally” and “Rip It Up” that same year, “Lucille” in 1957, and “Good Golly Miss Molly” in 1958 – driven by his simple, pumping piano, gospel-influenced vocal exclamations and sexually charged (often gibberish) lyrics. “I heard Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, and that was it,” Elton John told Rolling Stone in 1973. “I didn’t ever want to be anything else. I’m more of a Little Richard stylist than a Jerry Lee Lewis, I think. Jerry Lee is a very intricate piano player and very skillful, but Little Richard is more of a pounder.”
(Excerpt) Read more at rollingstone.com ...
I remember the short-lived sitcom “That’s My Mama” from the mid-70s, when Clifton Davis was sorting his record album collection by male and female performers. He made a third pile for Little Richard.
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Now that’s funny.
By the time most people get to 87, there are so many things wrong health-wise that the doctor could list most anything as the cause of death and not be very far off.
Like using a dart board.
John Fogerty said that he modeled his singing style after Little Richard. When Fogerty is really rocking, you can catch that Little Richard influence.
Toward the end, he shed that look and assumed normal appearance. He was unrecognizable.
More blood on Trump’s hands! Little Richard dead from corona virus - wait for it.
Self-proclaimed “Queen of Rock n Roll”.
No, he wasn’t gay.
At least he said he wasn’t.
Years ago, on Merv Griffin or some type show, he said it was all an act so that white good ole boys wouldn’t string him up if he was caught with a white woman.
At least that’s what he said then...
But a couple of decades later, in the early 2000s, he said he was now a Christian and denounced his “gay past”.
So maybe only as queer as a 1.01 dollar bill.
I still love his music.
What a showman!
I saw Frank Sinatra in 1995/6 in Frankfurt, Germany. He was croaking through some of his songs, and forgot the lyrics on a few others.
He even admitted he was getting too old...
I'd rather had remembered him from his glory days.
Influenced so many rockers, including the Beatles. RIP
I only know of that movie from MST3K.
Aw. Too bad. I love his music and theatrics.
My cellphone ringtone for my mom is Little Richard’s, “Lucille”. (Mom is “Lucile”.) I edited out the beginning, so immediately when the phone rings, it shrieks, “LUCILLE!” It scares some people.
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Back in 1957/58 I remember going to the Fresno Memorial auditorium on Friday nights, to see Little Richard. The music was great and the place was packed. Everyone was dancing and having a great time. One person even jumped of the balcony and landed on the dance floor. RIP Richard
I hear you knocking.....
Nah, he wasn’t gay. Or at least, he was no more than bi. He definitely loved the women - screwed around about as much as Chuck Berry, who did accuse him of being gay/inviting him for “fun”.
Despite not hearing anything about it, I have no doubt Prince was influenced by Richard’s branding. And Prince wasn’t gay at all, despite the looks.
Same here. Makes me curious to watch it again 8^)
The performance was awful. Even then, at JFK Stadium, I knew it was awful.
Years later I was commenting on this point, which was reinforced by Zeppelin not allowing their performance to be released on the box set. Then someone said to me "...but you got to see Zeppelin..."
I don't complain about that performance anymore.
Little Richard played at my mom’s high school dances in the 50’s but I never saw him live.
My favorite 80’s charting hit of his was a rock cover of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” with a giant black furry piano with eight legs.
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