Music Tuesday: Little Richard, Rest in Peace

LittleRichard, the 1950’s Rock and Roller and one of the originators of the musical genre, passed away this passed away Saturday, May 9^th.  Flamboyant, loud, energetic, he fused boogie-woogie with his southern African-American R&B style into something the young, white generation could shake to.  The New York Times had a nice obituary:

 Richard Penniman, better known as Little Richard, who combined the sacred shouts of the black church and the profane sounds of the blues to create some of the world’s first and most influential rock ’n’ roll records, died on Saturday in Tullahoma, Tenn. He was 87.

I can’t say I was a big fan of his music—it’s kind of one dimensional—but when the history of rock ‘n’ roll is written, no very few could generate more energy than Little Richard.  Here’s one of my favorites, “Good Golly Miss Molly.”

The howling vocals, the driving piano, the short staccato rhythm, everything was created for energy.  And he can really belt out the vocals.  Here’s his first great hit, “Tutti Frutti.”

Also what made him so original was the articulation of some rather convoluted syllables: “Awop-bop-a-loo-mop alop bom bom.”  Now trying to say that several times while playing and singing.

He lived a rather strange life.  He claimed to be homosexual, and yet married a couple of times, and became a Baptist preacher later in life.  You can read about it in his Wikipedia entry and the obituary.  Here are a few more of his hit songs.

“Long Tall Sally”

And perhaps my favorite of his songs, “Lucille.”

He really did find faith late in life.  You can find videos of his preaching.  He even goes on the Dave Letterman Show and renounces his homosexuality and preaches for faith in Jesus Christ.  

Eternal rest in peace, Richard.