Music legend Little Richard dies aged 87

Little Richard, the self-anointed ‘architect of rock and roll” and one of the greatest influences on modern music, has died at the age of 87.

(FILES) In this file photo taken on June 07, 2005, Little Richard performs on the stage of the Olympia Concert Hall in Paris. Picture: AFP

Music legends have paid tribute to Little Richard, one of the founding fathers of rock and roll, after his death at the age of 87.

The singer, songwriter and pianist, born Richard Penniman, died from bone cancer in his Nashville home on Saturday, his agent Dick Alen told People.

“He was living with his brother in Nashville,” Alen said in a statement. “He was battling for a good while, many years. I last spoke to him about two or three weeks ago. I knew he wasn’t well but he never really got into it, he just would say ‘I’m not well.’ He’s been suffering for many years with various aches and pains. He just wouldn’t talk about it much.”

Little Richard, whose outrageous showmanship and lightning-fast rhythms intoxicated crowds in the 1950s, has died. Picture: AFP

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson and Jimmy Page were among the stars who posted touching tributes to the Georgia-born legend, who called himself “the originator”.

Penniman was responsible for some of the most formative hits in rock music in the 1950s, including “Tutti Frutti”, “Lucille” and Good Golly Miss Molly”.

He described himself as “the architect of rock and roll” and few could disagree.

His contemporaries, including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley and Jerry Lee Lewis, all recorded covers of his works, and Presley told Penniman in 1969 that his music was an inspiration to him and that he was “the greatest.”

In his presence he was always the same Little Richard that I first heard and was awed by growing up and I always was the same little boy. Of course he’ll live forever. But it’s like a part of your life is gone.

— Bob Dylan (@bobdylan) May 9, 2020

I’m very sorry to hear about Little Richard. He was there at the beginning and showed us all how to rock and roll. He was a such a great talent and will be missed. Little Richard’s music will last forever.
Love & Mercy, Brian pic.twitter.com/kcak6Rf4Re

— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilsonLive) May 9, 2020

So sad to hear that my old friend Little Richard has passed. There will never be another!!! He was the true spirit of Rock’n Roll! pic.twitter.com/yU1EJmjejU

— Keith Richards (@officialKeef) May 9, 2020

Penniman’s small and skinny frame earned him the nickname Lil’ Richard as a child.

A birth deformity left him with one leg shorter than the other, resulting in an unusual gait, and he was allegedly teased for his effeminate appearance as a young boy.

Known for his pounding, frenetic piano playing, distinctive, raspy voice, boogie-gospel style of rock and sexually charged lyrics, Penninman’s electric live shows were a revelation in the 1950s and went on to inspire entertainers from Elton John to Prince, whose flamboyant aesthetic and showmanship was greatly indebted to Penniman.

Raised in a very religious family, Penniman spent much of his childhood singing in church choirs and his earliest influences were gospel performers.

Little Richard’s influence on later stars such as Prince was undeniable. Picture: AFP

While touring in Australia in 1957, he shocked the world by announcing that he was turning his back on rock and roll to follow a life in the ministry.

His gospel music was less successful than his rock, however, and he returned to secular music in 1964 while continuing with his evangelism.

Little Richard at one of his later performances in 2011. Picture: AFP)

Penniman battled with cocaine and marijuana addiction in the 1970s and his sexuality and colourful sexual experiences, often recounted by Penniman himself, titillated audiences and the press over the years. Penniman variously claimed to be homosexual, bisexual, and neither throughout the course of his life.

His many musical honours include being among the first group of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in 1993 and being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Richard’s passing on Saturday was met with a flood of tweets celebrating the musician.

#LittleRichard was a genius, pure and simple. He paved the way for (code for he was ripped off by)so many artists. Watch his YouTube performances to see what I mean. I met him on "Down and Out in Beverly Hills", in which he was hilarious. What a legacy. God bless you, Richard. https://t.co/Mz9UPzwYth

— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) May 9, 2020

I’m very sorry to hear about Little Richard. He was there at the beginning and showed us all how to rock and roll. He was a such a great talent and will be missed. Little Richard’s music will last forever.
Love & Mercy, Brian pic.twitter.com/kcak6Rf4Re

— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilsonLive) May 9, 2020

James Brown got his big break as a Little Richard impersonator. Hendrix got his start playing guitar in Little Richard’s band. The Beatles formed around his work. Bob Dylan and Freddie Mercury began with his music. It’s impossible to overstate Little Richard’s influence.

— Anil Dash 😷 (@anildash) May 9, 2020

Originally published as Music legend Little Richard dies aged 87