Rock and Roll pioneer Little Richard is dead at the age of 87.
Often known for his flare, Little Richard, was the powerful talent behind hits “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally,” and “Rip It Up.”
Son of Richard, Danny Jones Penniman, confirmed the death to Rolling Stone but did not state a cause.
“I heard Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, and that was it,” Elton John told Rolling Stone in 1973. “I didn’t ever want to be anything else. I’m more of a Little Richard stylist than a Jerry Lee Lewis, I think. Jerry Lee is a very intricate piano player and very skillful, but Little Richard is more of a pounder.”
Songs from the legendary Richard were recorded by additional iconic talents like The Beatles and he often was noted as a source of inspiration for future artists.
Little Richard signed his first deal with RCA in 1951. In his career, he would also release a Gospel album and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In 1993 he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy.
“When I first came along, I never heard any rock & roll,” he told Rolling Stone in 1990. “When I started singing [rock & roll], I sang it a long time before I presented it to the public because I was afraid they wouldn’t like it. I never heard nobody do it, and I was scared.”
