Posted in: Pop Culture | Tagged: in memorium, Little Richard, Prince, the rolling stones

In Memorium: Rock n Roll Pioneer Little Richard Dies at Age 87

Published Sat, 09 May 2020 11:24:24 -0500

Last updated Sat, 09 May 2020 11:24:55 -0500

The flamboyant, gender-bending, rock and roll pioneer — Little Richard — passed away Saturday morning at the age of 87. Born Richard Wayne Penniman on December 5, 1932, in Macon, Georgia, into a deeply religious family, he was dubbed "Lil Richard" by friends and family at a young age due to his size. Little Richard began singing and performing in church services at a young age, which would lead to a lifetime of performing.

In 1951 Little Richard signed with RCA. His first hit — the catchy and fun "Tutti Frutti" — reached number 2 in Billboard's Rhythm and Blues bestseller in 1956. This lead to a string of hits, including "Long Tall Sally", "Rip it Up", "Lucille", and "Good Golly Miss Molly" over the span of 2 years. Little Richard combined his own bold personality with gospel-style vocals and upbeat pianos.

While Little Richard didn't have a top ten hit after 1958, he remained an active performer throughout the rest of his life. He would influence countless highly regarded talents such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Rod Stewart, and Prince. In 1986 he was a part of one of the first class of inductees into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. In 1992 he received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy and performed at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton. In 2010, the Library of Congress added "Tutti Frutti" to the National Recording Registry.

Little Richard also became a popular children's singer in the '90s as well. Shake it all About was released in 1992 under the Disney label. He sang the theme song to the popular 1994 show The Magic School Bus. He made appearances on family programming such as Full House and Sesame Street. As a child in the 90's, his music kept me entertained for hours on end.

The cause of death is unknown, but it's safe to say Little Richard lead a full, influential, and interesting life.

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