Little Richard, the pioneer artist who defined the rock and roll model, died at the age of 87.
Musician’s son Danny Penniman confirmed Rolling stone that little Richard had died, but that the cause of his death was unknown.
Born Richard Wayne Penniman in Macon, Georgia, in 1932, Little Richard was the second of 12 children. His father, Bud, fired him as a teenager; he was greeted by a white family, who ran the club where he played for the first time.
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He enjoyed a series of hits in the 1950s, starting with the “Tutti Frutti” in 1956, and quickly became known for his outrageous and flamboyant style of performance and bright outfits, which were both emulated by Prince. .
“Tutti Frutti”, a song originally written about anal sex, was followed by “Long Tall Sally” and “Rip It Up”, also in ’56, followed a year later by “Lucille”, then ” Good Golly Miss Molly ‘in 1958.
While the 1950s were widely regarded as the most prolific and successful period in Little Richard’s career, his influence continued for decades afterwards.
A number of his songs have been covered by the Beatles, including “Long Tall Sally”. Other artists such as The Kinks, Elvis Costello and The Everly Brothers also covered his work, and a generation of British musicians, including The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and David Bowie, cited it as a major influence.
Little Richard attempted to pursue a career as a gospel artist in the late 1960s, but returned to rock and roll the following decade. He was one of the first inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in 1993.
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In a statement, a spokesperson said: “It is sad that on this day we were to announce his death. Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought to the end and who always inspired everyone who approached him. “
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“When I got there, I never heard rock & roll,” he said. Rolling stone in 1990. “When I started singing [rock & roll], I sang it a long time before presenting it to the public because I was afraid that they would not like it. I never heard anyone do it and I was scared. “
“The genius that gave us A WOP BOP A LOO BOP A LOP BAM BOOM and much more is gone. RIP The Great Little Richard is an undoubtedly unique artist, ”wrote musician and lyricist Tim Rice.
American journalist and author Karen Hunter tweeted, “There is no Beatles with Little Richard. (just to give a little perspective on its impact on music). There is no Jimi Hendrix without Little Richard (he learned all this staging from the greatest and was fired because he lacked the discipline and work ethic required by Richard). “
Music critic Simon Price said, “Little Richard was the firecracker that started it all. There, at Big Bang rock’n’roll, this unmanageable force transcending race, gender and sexuality. Literally a howling queen. I met him once and it was like touching the hand of God. We owe him everything. Tear it).
“With No Little Richard, you don’t have Hendrix, Iggy, Bowie, Bolan, Prince and so many others, until Janelle [Monae]. I honestly think it is so important. Just immeasurably influential. The greatest real. “
“The loss of a real giant. My deepest condolences go to his family and friends, “Nile Rodgers tweeted.”
