Born December 5, 1932, in Macon, Georgia, the third of twelve children, Richard grew up dirt-poor in the segregated South. His father Charles “Bud” Penniman was a church deacon by Sunday and a bootlegger by night; his mother Leva Mae was devout. One leg shorter than the other, nicknamed “Lil’ Richard” and mercilessly bullied, he found refuge in the Pentecostal church, banging on pots and pans and singing so loud the preacher once told him to shut up during service.

At 14 he was already hustling: selling Coca-Cola at the Macon City Auditorium, performing drag as “Princess LaVonne” in medicine shows, and soaking up gospel giants like Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Mahalia Jackson. By 1951 he’d won a talent contest in Atlanta and cut his first sides for RCA Victor – polite jump-blues that went nowhere. The world wasn’t ready.

Everything detonated when Richard walked into Cosimo Matassa’s J&M Studio in New Orleans on September 14, 1955. The session was flat until, during a break, he jumped on the piano and tore into a filthy, obscene version of “Tutti Frutti.” Producer Bumps Blackwell freaked out, called lyricist Dorothy LaBostrie, and fifteen minutes later the cleaned-up but still nuclear “A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom!” was born.

What followed was the greatest two-year run in rock history:

• “Tutti Frutti” (1955) – instant No. 2 R&B hit, covered by Elvis and Pat Boone the same year.
• “Long Tall Sally” (1956) – so fast Pat Boone couldn’t keep up.
• “Rip It Up,” “Lucille,” “Jenny Jenny,” “Keep A-Knockin’,” “Good Golly Miss Molly” – every single a detonation of falsetto screams, pounding piano, and Lee Allen’s sax from hell.
• Here’s Little Richard (1957) – the first true rock ‘n’ roll album, now in the Library of Congress.

Richard’s band, The Upsetters, featured monsters like drummer Charles Connor and guitarist Jimi Hendrix (briefly, in 1964–65). Onstage he wore pancake makeup, pencil moustache, six-inch pompadour, and sequined suits, climbing on the piano, throwing clothes into the crowd, and leaving teenage girls (and boys) in hysterics. He was the first true rock ‘n’ roll wild man.

In October 1957, at the peak of fame, Richard saw a fireball in the sky (actually Sputnik) and took it as a sign. He threw a $10,000 ring into Sydney Harbour, enrolled in Bible college, and quit rock ‘n’ roll to become a minister. The next decade was chaos: gospel albums, preaching, then sudden returns to sequins and sin.

He came out as gay in the 1950s, then renounced it, then embraced it again. He married Ernestine Harvin (1962–64), adopted a son Danny, and later lived openly with partners while still preaching. “I am the originator, the emancipator, the architect, and also omnisexual,” he declared in 1995. The contradictions were the point.

The 1960s and 70s saw glorious returns: the 1964 tour with The Beatles (who opened for him and worshipped him), Jimi Hendrix as his guitarist, explosive European packages with the Rolling Stones. In 1969 he played the Atlantic City Pop Festival and Toronto Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival, proving the voice was still supersonic.

The 1980s brought the final coronation: induction into the very first class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1986), a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1993), and the unforgettable scene in 1988 when he presented at the Grammys and shouted, “I have never received nothing! Y’all ain’t never gave me no Grammy, and I been singing for years! I am the architect of rock ‘n’ roll!”

He was right.

On May 9, 2020, at age 87, Little Richard died at his Tennessee home from bone cancer. His last public words were classic: “I’m not dead yet!”

Without Little Richard there is no:

• James Brown (who stole his entire stage act)
• Otis Redding
• Prince (who worshipped him)
• Paul McCartney (learned to scream “Woooo!” from “Long Tall Sally”)
• Jimi Hendrix (learned showmanship in the Upsetters)
• David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Freddie Mercury, Elton John – every flamboyant frontman owes him royalties

The Beatles, the Stones, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and every garage band that ever plugged in owe their existence to the Georgia Peach who screamed the blues into the atomic age.

He wasn’t just influential. He was the big bang.

Happy 93rd, King and Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Shut up – the architect is still speaking.

And we’re still listening.

1. A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica

Couldn’t think of a better film to parade Metallica’s journey of success! Director Adam Dubin provides material covering the band during the process of its bestseller The Black Album recording. What distinguishes this one from all the other documentaries about Metallica is that it sets a whole new perspective on roles of different entrants in the music field- the producer, for instance, isn’t a walking sack of money, he can be the technical director as well.
Now imagine a walking sack of money!

2. Gimme Shelter
How well do you know The Rolling Stone? Are you familiar with the Altamont Free Concert? Gimme Shelter offers never-before-seen footage of the catastrophe that neither Rock music nor the hippie culture has recovered from until now and in which martyr of sex drugs rock n’ roll Meredith Hunter lost his life.
So on a Rolling Stone scale, you ain’t rock ‘n roll enough until you’ve been stabbed to death in a free concert.

3. Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey
Sam Dunn roams the world in attempt to unveil different views on the heavy music from various destinations. Despite its humble production, the film is regarded as one of the most informative, most entertaining music documentaries out there. I mean, check the list of artists Dunn interviews… Woah!

4. No Direction Home

Not a One Direction film, you silly. As the subject of Folk legend Bob Dylan’s music and life has always brought a great controversy, director Martin Scorse in his film covers only a segment of Dylan’s life 1961:66 and the sudden transmission from Folk to Rock music, using some rare footage from The Bob Dylan Archives.

5. BBC Arena Heavy Metal

Produced by one of the largest production houses in the world and presented by Nigel Planner. What more could we ask for? This classic documentary TV episode uncovers the history of Heavy Metal from 1981, casting acts such as Metallica, Naplam Death, KISS, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and many more. Classic, huh?

6. The Last Waltz

Another grand Scorse film that puts together parts of The Band’s The Last Waltz show featuring some of the greatest Rock & Roll musicians known to-date including Neil Young, Muddy Walter, Neil Diamond, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Ronald David, Ronnie Hawkins and Joni Mitchell. Highly recommended for those who tend to curl up inside their own bubble of comfort and mourn over what once has been- musically speaking of course.

7. Anvil

The music industry had proven to be quite challenging for the Canadian Heavy Metal group Anvil, the poor thing had to make a documentary out of its not-so-lengthy career to make a career out of it.
This doc displays not only the history of the band after their first album release in 1981 that established them as pioneers of Speed/Power/Heavy music, but also the mare’s-nest of living the Rock & Roll dream. Notably, in result of this film, Anvil regained their popularity and pulled a few successful live shows afterwards.
Let’s heave a sigh of relief.

8. Led Zeppelin: Origin of Species
Everything you need to know about Led Zeppelin in one film. Director of this documentary traces the roots of each and every Led Zeppelin member at a snail’s pace and in full detail. Way too much detail. We’re surprised it doesn’t mention the size of their underwears.

9. The Story of Metal

A four-part film that discusses different eras of Metal music, focusing on the most influential bands in that genre like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Slayer. We’d recommend it for beginners, and intermediates… and experts… oh, and everyone else for that matter.

10. It Might Get Loud:
Ever wondered how famous musicians feel about their own guitars? It Might Get Loud tells the stories, relationships and point of views of The Edge, Jack White and Jimmy Page on their guitars. You might be surprised at how intimate it could get.

Nada K Ahmed and Mena Monk

Cover design by: Shereen G