Little Richard

            

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFq5O2kabQo

Whenever we have studied music in this class I have been enthralled, but none caught my attention more so than our study of rock and roll. One of the founders (some say he single handedly laid the foundation for this form) of this movement is Little Richard. Who hasn’t heard songs by Little Richard? Songs like “Tutti Frutti,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Ready Teddy,” and “Rip It Up” are classics that can be heard in many settings throughout the media today. While many of us have heard his music, not everyone knows his story. I know I never realized how influential he has been in regards to the history of the music.

 Little Richard, who’s legal name is Richard Wayne Penniman, grew up in the home of a preacher, along with his 11 siblings. His family was one that was very heavily involved in music. He was always singing, even as a kid. His first experience in front of an audience was with a gospel group called, “the Tiny Tots,” which consisted of him, his brother Marquette (tenor), his brother Walter (baritone), and a friend named Bobby Moore (bass). They would travel to different churches all around Georgia, where Richard was born and raised, and people would shower them with treats. These were not Gospel situations similar to what is seen in Mormon culture. They technically sang a capella, but their voices were always accompanied by the stomping of their audience’s feet. People would worship, praying to God during their performances, but they were loud. I can’t imagine the energy that would accompany these shows. I can almost picture the faces of the enthralled church goers (White 13).

Because of the time and place in which Richard lived, racial issues were very prevalent in his career. As we discussed in class his record label gave his song, “Tutti Frutti” to Pat Boone, simply because he was a more acceptable to their audience, in other words, he was white and sang the song in a more reserved manner. While this would have been a blow at first to Little Richard’s career, in the long run it brought him more exposure then he could have ever dreamed. As I did more research I found a lot of sources saying that Little Richard, “brought the races together in a common admiration for his music” (White xi). Because a white man sang his song, many white listeners soon came to know who the artist Little Richard was, and in doing so, essentially, the blacks and whites found a bond. That is something that I find so amazing about the arts: it leads to understanding one and other. It allows us to find these connections that are deeply rooted between each of us as human beings. It allows us to really see one another, and in turn leads to tolerance. One of my favorite quotes is, “You can’t hate someone whose story you know,” and it is the arts that help us get to know one another’s stories. While the rest of Little Richard’s career had its ups and downs, he will always been a participant in bringing people together with his gift of music.

Work Cited
White, Charles. “The Life and Times of Little Richard.” New York: DA Capo Press, 1994.