"There could not have been a Michael Jackson if there had not been a Little Richard." PEOPLE Magazine
"…a contemporary pop rebel like Prince seems like small potatoes compared with Little Richard, the original wild man of rock ’n’ roll." NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
LITTLE RICHARD—the originator, the emancipator, the architect of rock and roll.
Exploding into the American consciousness in the
mid-50's’..."awop-bop-a-loo-mop-alop-bam-boom"…he singlehandedly laid
the foundation and established the rules for a new musical form: rock and roll.
Born and raised in Macon, Georgia, the third of twelve children, Richard Wayne Penniman
began singing in his local church choir while still a youngster. He signed with RCA
Records in 1951 after winning a talent contest and released two singles—neither
receiving prominent notice.
Returning to his job washing dishes in a Greyhound bus station, Richard sent a demo tape
to Specialty Records, a fledgling Los Angeles label. The song, "Tutti Frutti,"
was his catalyst for success and led to an uninterrupted run of smash
hits—"Tutti Frutti," "Long Tall Sally," "Rip It Up,"
"Lucille," "Jenny Jenny," "Keep A Knockin’", "Good
Golly Miss Molly," "Ooh! My Soul"…By 1968, Little Richard had sold
over 32 million records internationally.
A self-imposed hiatus took Richard out of the industry spotlight, but never out of the
consciousness of the legions of fans around the world who confidently awaited his return.
In 1985, Richard charged back stronger than ever, scoring rave reviews for his memorable
appearance in 1985 boxoffice smash "Down and Out in Beverly Hills," a film which
also launched his hit single, "Great Gosh A Mighty." He was inducted into the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and launched into a pattern of work which has been
virtually non-stop, encompassing not only recording, but television, films, soundtracks
and commercials: "Martin," "Full House," "Miami Vice," the
60th Annual Academy Awards, among other television guest spots; a duet with
Philip Bailey for the Universal Pictures’ hit, "Twins"; background vocals
on the U2/BB King hit single, "When Love Comes to Town"; the CBS Records
all-star benefit album and Showtime/PBS documentary special, "A Vision Shared—A
Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly"; television pitchman for Taco Bell,
McDonald’s, NBC-TV, Commodore/Amiga Computers and Revlon’s "Charlie"
perfume, in which he starred with supermodel Cindy Crawford.
His performance of a rock ’n’ roll version of the children’s tune,
"Itsy Bitsy Spider," was a stand-out track on the star-studded Disney
Records’ benefit album, "For Our Children." The record went gold and earned
millions for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, an organization he continues to support.
Disney followed up with "Shake It All About," an entire album of children’s
songs redone by Richard in a style that is his alone. His portrayal of a rock
’n’ roll Old King Cole in Shelley Duvall’s "Mother Goose Rock
’n’ Rhyme," an appearance on "Sesame Street" and a spot on the
Jim Henson Records album, "Kermit Unpigged" (on which he guests on the all-star
song and video for a remake of "She Drives Me Crazy"), have ensured him a new
generation of fans.
Richard was honored with a star on the world-renowned Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990. Soon
afterward, he returned to his hometown of Macon for the unveiling of "Little Richard
Penniman Boulevard." In 1993, he received the long-overdue Lifetime Achievement Award
from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He also performed for rock &
roll fans Bill Clinton and Al Gore at one of the biggest parties in Washington—the
inaugural gala.
In 1994, Richard received the Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s prestigious Pioneer
Award. He also appeared on Elton John’s hit "Duets" album and delivered a
high-octane rendition of "Something Else" with Tanya Tucker on the platinum MCA
Records’ release, "Rhythm, Country & Blues."
Most recently, Richard was presented with the prestigious Award of Merit byt the 1997
American Music Awards in recognition of his contributions to and powerful influence on the
music world.
Driven by an incredible, hard-to-match energy which lends credence to his "wild man
of rock ’n’ roll" image, Richard continues to tour extensively, delighting
audiences with his unique blend of music and humor.
"Entertaining is a way to spread joy," says Richard. "I’ve come to
terms with that and with myself. You’ve got to do that before you can begin to help
others."