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Little Richard

Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Architect of Rock and Roll", Richard's most celebrated work dates from the mid-1950s, when his charismatic showmanship and dynamic music, characterized by frenetic piano playing, pounding back beat and powerful raspy vocals, laid the foundation for rock and roll. Richard's innovative emotive vocalizations and uptempo rhythmic music also played a key role in the formation of other popular music genres, including soul and funk. He influenced numerous singers and musicians across musical genres from rock to hip hop; his music helped shape rhythm and blues for generations.

"Tutti Frutti" (1955), one of Richard's signature songs, became an instant hit, crossing over to the pop charts in the United States and the United Kingdom. His next hit single, "Long Tall Sally" (1956), hit No. 1 on the Billboard Rhythm and Blues Best-Sellers chart, followed by a rapid succession of fifteen more in less than three years. His performances during this period resulted in integration between white Americans and black Americans in his audience. In 1962, after a five-year period during which Richard abandoned rock and roll music for born-again Christianity, concert promoter Don Arden persuaded him to tour Europe. During this time, the Beatles opened for Richard on some tour dates.

Richard is cited as one of the first crossover black artists, reaching audiences of all races. His music and concerts broke the color line, drawing black and white people together despite attempts to sustain segregation. Many of his contemporaries, including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Gene Vincent, Pat Boone, and Eddie Cochran, recorded covers of his works.

Richard was honored by many institutions. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of its first group of inductees in 1986. He was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Recording Academy and the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. In 2015, Richard received a Rhapsody & Rhythm Award from the National Museum of African American Music for his key role in the formation of popular music genres and helping to bring an end to the racial divide on the music charts and in concert in the mid-1950s changing American culture significantly. "Tutti Frutti" was included in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2010, which stated that his "unique vocalizing over the irresistible beat announced a new era in music".

Birth and Death Data: Born December 5, 1932 (Macon), Died May 9, 2020 (Tullahoma)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1963 - 1968

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, piano

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 113581 7/5/1963 Milky white way Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113582 7/5/1963 Need Him-1 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113583 7/5/1963 I'm trampin' Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113584 7/10/1963 Search me Lord-1 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113585 7/6/1963 Everytime I feel the spirit-1 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113586 7/10/1963 Coming home-2 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113587 7/6/1963 God is real Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113588 7/14/1963 Just a closer walk with Thee-1, 2 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113589 7/14/1963 Does Jesus care-1 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113590 7/14/1963 Jesus walked this lonesome valley-4 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113591 7/14/1963 Precious Lord-3 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 113592 7/14/1963 I want Jesus to walk with me-3 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 119521 10/25/1967 Try some of mine-1 Little Richard vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 119522 10/25/1967 She's together Little Richard instrumentalist, piano, vocalist  
Decca 120195 April 1968 Baby don't you tear my clothes Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 120196 April 1968 Stingy Jenny Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist, instrumentalist, piano  
Decca 120761 9/3/1968 Soul train Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  
Decca 120762 9/3/1968 Can I count on you-1 Richard] Little Richard [Pennyman vocalist  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Little Richard," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205886.

Little Richard. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205886.

"Little Richard." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/205886

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