Little Richard

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Little Richard's real name was Richard Wayne Penniman and he was born on 5 December 1932 in Macon, Georgia. He grew up in a religious family and learned to sing in church, preferably in the Pentecostal congregations with their exuberant services and live music. Gospel singers such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe were his first examples. In 1947 she even let the fourteen-year-old open her concert in Macon.

Music and breakthrough

The breakthrough came in 1955 with Tutti Frutti, which also reached the American and British pop charts. Long Tall Sally became a number 1 on the American rhythm-and-blues chart in 1956, and more hits followed quickly, including Lucille and Good Golly Miss Molly. In 1957 he turned his back on rock 'n' roll and chose religion. Only in 1962 did he allow himself to be persuaded to tour Europe, on which The Beatles were his opening act a few times.

Influence

His music revolved around rousing piano playing, a hard backbeat and a raw, powerful voice with high whoops. With capes, turbans and wild performances he was also a showman. He was one of the first Black artists who, in an age of segregation, reached a white and a Black audience at the same time. Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley and many others recorded his songs, and his way of singing carried on in soul and funk. In 1986 he was among the first group of artists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He died on 9 May 2020.

Listening

• 
  Tutti Frutti · Little Richard, 1955
  Apple Music ↗

Discography

Studio albums

• 1957Here’s Little Richard
• 1958Little Richard
• 1958Little Richard
• 1958The Fabulous Little Richard
• 1960Pray Along With Little Richard Vol. 1: I’ll Never Walk Alone
• 1960Pray Along With Little Richard Vol. 2: I Believe...
• 1961It's Real: The King of the Gospel Singers
• 1964Little Richard Is Back (and There’s a Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On!)
• 1964Little Richard Sings
• 1966The Wild & Frantic Little Richard
• 1967The Explosive Little Richard
• 1970The Rill Thing
• 1971King of Rock and Roll
• 1971Mr. Big
• 1971Well Alright!
• 1972Second Coming
• 1973Right Now!
• 1979God’s Beautiful City
• 1986Lifetime Friend
• 1992Little Richard Meets Masayoshi Takanaka
• 1992Shake It All About
• 1992The Wildest!
• 2009Tutti Frutti Reloaded
• 2020Southern Child

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

• Mixtape 1: The Origins of Pop Music^NL Reader
• Mixtape 3: The Beatles^NL Reader
• Mixtape 4: When Rock Was Still Pop^NL Reader
• Mixtape 9: The Instrument^NL Reader
• Mixtape 10: Women in Pop Music^NL Reader

Mentioned in other articles

• Kom van dat dak af SongKoelewijn took his example from Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

See also

• Kom van dat dak af
• Here’s Little Richard
• The Fabulous Little Richard
• Little Richard Is Back (and There’s a Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On!)
• The Explosive Little Richard
• The Rill Thing
• Second Coming
• Right Now!