Richard Wayne Penniman was born 86 years ago today in Macon, Georgia. You may know him, as hundreds of millions do, as Little Richard. The term "founding fathers of rock and roll" has evolved over the years, but Little Richard is truly the "architect" of that musical genre. Here's an excerpt from his Rock And Roll Hall of Fame entry (he was inducted in its first group):
He claims to be the “architect of rock and roll,” and history would seem to bear out Little Richard’s boast. More than any other performer—save, perhaps, Elvis Presley—Little Richard blew the lid off the Fifties, laying the foundation for rock and roll with his explosive music and charismatic persona.His direct influence on the music and performance style of artists that followed him is hard to ignore: Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Jackson, and every rock and roller since then. John Lennon is quoted as saying that the first time he heard "Long Tall Sally" it left him speechless. It may not leave you speechless, but it'll shake you up. Enjoy.
On record, he made spine-tingling rock and roll. His frantically charged piano playing and raspy, shouted vocals on such classics as “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Good Golly, Miss Molly” defined the dynamic sound of rock and roll.
