Little Richard

Richard Wayne Penniman, better known as Little Richard, is an American singer-songwriter and pianist born in 1932. He is considered one of the main pioneers of rock 'n' roll along with Fats Domino and Chuck Berry. He composed one of the greatest rock classics, "Tutti Frutti", which was covered by the group Queen and singers Elvis Presley and Johnny Hallyday, among others. Coming from the petty bourgeoisie, young Richard first learned the piano before joining the parish choir where he learned singing and especially gospel music. His father held a dim view of his passion for music and discovering his homosexuality was the straw that broke the camel's back. He disowned his son who was entrusted to a white family to whom he paid a vibrant tribute in the song "Miss Ann". With his strong character, the young boy does not give up. He joined a travelling troupe and discovered a certain taste for transvestites. After winning a singing competition, the young Richard, who now called himself Little Richard, signed his first contract with an American label at the age of 19. That same year, his father was murdered and he was given the responsibility of his eleven brothers and sisters. He then took on odd jobs to support his family. In 1955, he signed with an independent label and offered to record one of his compositions, a crazy track in which the artist used a lot of obscenities. The lyrics were finally watered down and the legendary "Tutti Frutti" became one of the singer's biggest hits. Later on, he went on to record a series of hits, including "Long Tall Sally", "Rip it up", "Jenny Jenny" and "Good Golly Miss Molly"... Little Richard was captivating with his provocative airs and eccentric looks. He gave wild performances to his audiences of ecstatic young girls who often threw their underwear in the star's face. No public could resist this tornado who rattled convention.