Little Richard

Lil Richard is 81 year old and still fabulous as he would say.

nameRichard Wayne Penniman Born ( ) December 5, 1932 (age 81) Macon, Georgia, United States Macon, GeorgiaUnited States GenresR&BR&B, rock and roll, gospel, soulrock and rollgospelsoul OccupationsSinger-songwriter InstrumentsVocalsVocals, piano, keyboardspianokeyboards Years active1948–present Labels RCA CamdenRCA Camden, Peacock, Specialty, End, Goldisc Records, Little Star Records, Mercury, Atlantic, Vee- Jay, Modern, Okeh, Brunswick, Reprise, K-Tel, Warner Bros., DisneyPeacockSpecialty EndGoldisc RecordsLittle Star RecordsMercuryAtlanticVee- JayModernOkehBrunswick RepriseK-TelWarner Bros. Disney Associated acts Billy WrightBilly Wright, Larry Williams, Don Covay, Billy Preston, Jimi HendrixLarry Williams Don CovayBilly PrestonJimi Hendrix Richard Wayne Penniman (born December 5, 1932), known by his stage name Little Richard, is an American recording artist, songwriter, and musician. He has been an influential figure in popular music and culture for over six decades. Penniman's most celebrated work dates from the mid 1950s where his dynamic music and charismatic showmanship laid the foundation for rock and rollrock and roll

Little Richard, interviewed during the 60th

Born Richard Wayne Penniman on December 5, 1932, in Macon, Georgia, Little Richard was the third of 12 children. His father, Bud, was a stern man who made his living selling moonshine and didn’t do much to hide his disdain for his son’s early signs of homosexuality. At the age of 13 Richard was ordered to move out of the family home. Richard’s relationship with his father was never repaired. When Richard was 19, his father was shot dead outside a local bar. Richard Wayne Penniman, also known as Little Richard, is considered one of the most influential artists in the early years of rock and roll. This singer, songwriter, and pianist was born in 1932 in Macon, Georgia, the son of Charles "Bud" Penniman and Leva Mae Stewart Penniman. His music interests began when he worked at the Macon City Auditorium where he saw acts like Cab Calloway. While working there he was asked to sing a duet with Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a well-known gospel singer, during one of her performances. He agreed and proved very popular with the audience. Soon after the duet he joined Dr. Hudson’s Medicine Show and played the piano as an accompaniment. He found a band when the singer I.A. Harris quit and the members asked Penniman to replace him. He continued the tour with them and was dubbed the title "Little Richard." In 1951, nineteen year old Little Richard Penniman signed with RCA Records and recorded his first single, “Every Hour.”

Richard Wayne Penniman, better known as Little Richard, the self-proclaimed "Architect of Rock 'n' Roll", traveled in his early days with the legendary vaudeville star Spencer "Snake" Anthony. One of Richard's early bands had the young, then unknown singer James Brown (the Godfather of Soul), a fourteen- year-old keyboardist named Billy Preston, and the famous and legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix. His first recording session took place at WGST in Atlanta, Georgia, USA; he was backed by a local band led by Billy Wright. This session produced a local hit called "Every Hour" which enjoyed heavy airplay on Atlanta's WERD radio station which was the first completely Black-owned radio station in the United States. Little Richard was backed up by his idol Billy Wright, once referred to him as the most fantastic entertainer he had ever seen. Indeed, it was Wright who used a brand of makeup called Pancake 31.James BrownBilly PrestonJimi Hendrix