Little Richard

Little Richard is a Singer-Songwriter and pianist whose music combines rock, soul, rhythm and blues, and funk. He was one of the major figures in the early 1950's R&B; craze and is often considered to be one of the originators of Rock n' Roll.

Background

Born Richard Wayne Penniman in Georgia on December 5, 1932, Little Richard was raised in both a religious and musical family. Members of his family would often sing together in local churches and much of Richard's early musical inspiration came from Gospel music. After winning a talent show in Atlanta in 1951, Richard was awarded with a contract from RCA Records.

Tutti Frutti

With some help from A&R; exec Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, Little Richard recorded his first hit "Tutti Fruitt" in 1955. The song was an instant success and led to a string of hit songs, including "Long Tall Sally", "Lucille" and "Good Golly, Miss Molly".

Reverend Richard

At the height of his fame, Richard's turned his back on Rock music and became a self-declared evangelical born-again Christian. The last 40 years have seen Little Richard move back and forth between secular and religious music a number of times.

Fast Facts

1. Name: Richard Wayne Penniman
2. Born: December 5, 1932
3. Origin: Macon, Georgia
4. Active: 1951 - Present
5. Label: Warner Bros. Records
6. Hit Singles: 29
7. Albums: 42
8. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986
9. Number 8 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 greatest artists of all time

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