ASSOCIATED PRESS; ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE – He was known as the flamboyant father of rock and roll; broke barriers of race, music and society, and died at the age of 87 after a long battle with bone cancer. Little Richard, born Richard Wayne Penniman in Macon Georgia in 1932, died Saturday.
Little Richard broke barriers and in many ways, changed American society with wild performances of songs including Tutti Fruitti in 1956; Long Tall sally, Lucille, and Good Golly Miss Molly. His songs were covered by many bands over the later decades, including the Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Elvis Costello, the Kinks and more.
Little Richard performed with outrageousness – gender bending costumes, and a throat shredding vocal ability.
His career waned and thrived alternatively over the years; a welcome back performance in Germany was the opening act for the Beatles back in 1964.
Rock critics noted Little Richard fought racism, criticism for self announced homosexuality, and addictions to cocaine at the same time he returned to gospel roots during the mid 70s. Little Richard described himself as “omnisexual”, attracted to both women and men.
In the 1980s, he appeared in some movies and TV shows, including Miami Vice and Full House.Rolling Stone magaiine reports while he did continue performances for many years, a hip replacement in 2009 left him unable to jump and jive as he did making a new for himself; Little Richard could perform sitting at a piano however, and did. In 2012, true to his persona, Rolling Stone reports he apologized to the audience for not being able to perform as he did for years. The audience replied with loud encouragement, and “…with a very Little Richard squeal, (replied)” Oh, you gonna make me scream like a white girl!”
Little Richard died in Tullahoma, Tennesee, Saturday May 9th, 2020.
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