Little Richard
Biography
"There
could not have been a Michael Jackson if there had not been a Little
Richard."
People Magazine
"…a contemporary pop rebel like Prince seems like small potatoes compared
with
Little Richard, the original wild man of rock ’n’ roll." New York
Times Book Review
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"…
he
singlehandedly 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. He
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, 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 Richard out of the industry spotlight, but never out
of the consciousness
of the legions of fans around the world who confidently
awaited his return.
In 1985, Richard charged back stronger than ever, scoring rave reviews for his
memorable
appearance in 1985 boxoffice 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 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.
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.
In 1994, Richard received the Rhythm & Blues Foundation’s prestigious
Pioneer Award. 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."
Most recently, Richard was presented with the prestigious Award of Merit byt the
1997 American Music Awards in recognition of his contributions to and powerful
influence on
the music world.
Driven by an incredible, hard-to-match energy which lends credence to his
"wild man of rock ’n’ roll"
image, Richard continues to tour extensively, delighting audiences with
his unique blend of music and humor.
"Entertaining is a way to spread joy," says Richard. "I’ve come
to terms with that and with myself.
You’ve got to do that before you can begin
to help others."
Links
Little
Richard News
Richard
De La Font Agency
Tour Information
don't
forget to have a look on the acurate
tour information section for a complete list
of all shows from 1950 to 2007