Little Richard
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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"…Little
Richard single-handedly 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. Little Richard 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, Little
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 LITTLE RICHARD out of the industry spotlight,
but never out of the consciousness of the legions of fans around the world
Little Richard who confidently awaited his return.
In 1985, Little Richard charged back stronger than ever, scoring rave
reviews for his memorable appearance in 1985 box-office 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 Little 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.
Little 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.
Little Richard received the Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s prestigious
Pioneer Award in 1994. 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."
Little Richard was presented with the prestigious Award of Merit by the
1997 American Music Awards in recognition of his contributions to and
powerful influence on the music world.
Little Richard has always been a wild man. Driven by an incredible,
hard-to-match energy which lends credence to his "wild man of rock ’n’
roll" image, Little Richard continues to tour extensively, delighting
audiences with his unique blend of music and humor. "Entertaining is a way
to spread joy," says Little Richard.
Little Richard attended the Democratic National Convention in 2004. In
2005, Little Richard appeared, along with such luminaries as Madonna, Iggy
Pop, Bootsy Collins, and The Roots' in an American TV commercial for the
Motorola ROKR phone.
Little Richard has been working hard with other R&B and Soul greats and
contemporaries on a charity single written and produced by
singer/songwriter Michael Jackson titled, "From the Bottom of My Heart".
Proceeds from the single will go to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
In January 2006, Little Richard gave the eulogy and preached a bit at
Wilson Pickett's funeral. He continues to evangelize, distributing a
born-again (referring to the Gospel according to John - Chapter 3)
Christian booklet entitled "Finding Peace Within" to fans, as he tours
around the world performing his classic music, as well as Gospel songs in
his original rocking style.
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