Little Richard, Rock Icon, Founding Father, & Legend, Passes way AT 87 Years

vienna · 05-09-20, 11:29 AM

Little Richard, who was one of the greatest legends of early Rock & Roll passed away at the age of 87:

Little Richard, Founding Father of Rock Who Broke Musical Barriers, Dead at 87 --

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...rd-dead-48505/

To say Richard was an influence on all who came after him would be an understatement of his musical and stylistic impact on Rock and other genres of music. He often referred to himself as "The Originator", a claim/boast few would challenge. The list of acts and performers who nicked bits and pieces of his style is long and varied; The Beatles openly and gratefully acknowledged the influence he had on their music (the head shaking, hair waving "Woo0"'s are direct clones of Richard) and Prince was an ongoing tribute to Little Richard. Almost without exception, acts and performers cited the debt they owed to Little Richard...

I saw him perform only once, in the late 70s, but I never forgot the great show he put on, even in his middle-aged years. The audience was a blend of young and old, all races, and all classes. He spoke to each of their sensibilities without having to alter who he was and and how he performed; the audience loved him for just being Little Richard...

He lived in Los Angeles off and on for several years and I would often see him here in Hollywood. He would go through periods of being devoutly religious and then being fervently secular. During his religious phases, he would go to testify on the streets of Hollywood; he was an actual ordained minister and he would seek out the street people and runaways and speak with them, not preach at them, and he always treated them with a respect they, in turn, gave to him. It was a true inspirational sight to behold...

He wrestled all his life with the dichotomy of faith and the secular and vacillated several times in his life between the two, but he was, at heart, a natural talent and a true showman. A while back, I was flipping through the TV channels and a couple of those talent/reality shows popped up in the mix and it made me think about how persons and acts on those shows are probably influenced by so many of the past legends of all kinds of music and, yet, if those same legends were to be up and coming artists today, they probably wouldn't even pass the auditions for those shows. True talent like Little Richard can't be manufactured and I think the music world, and the world in general , is better for that...

Here's Little Richard, in his mid-30s, at the height of the British Invasion and Beatlemania, doing a live show in Paris, for what appears to have been a TV show. Raw power, vast talent, and an ability to connect with the audience on a primal level: its all here:

I've got to give a tip of the hat to the sax player in the band, who compliments Little Richards fierce voice with his own fierceness...

RIP, Little Richard and rest you well. Thank you for all the great memories and music; the next time we hear thunder and lightning, maybe it will just be you and Chuck and Bo having a bit of a jam session...

<O>

Platapus · 05-09-20, 01:11 PM

I am embarrassed, but I thought he died a few years ago.

Jimbuna · 05-09-20, 01:51 PM

Another true great has left us.

RIP

Catfish · 05-09-20, 02:59 PM

This was the music that won me over to Rock 'n roll, Beatles and Creedence all came later. Sad to hear, he really was one of the first.
Rest in Peace.

Mr Quatro · 05-09-20, 03:56 PM

Goodby Little Richard RIP I hope they have a band in heaven as good as this one

Reminds me of french fries and catshup for some reason

vienna · 05-09-20, 05:12 PM

This is an article listing some of the very many tributes persons in all fields have given to the memory of Little Richard:

Celebrities pay tribute to pioneer Little Richard: 'The king of rock 'n' roll. Zero questions.' --

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...190720439.html

From the above article, a clip where David Bowie gives his own experience of the influence of Little Richard on his life, followed by Little Richard at full throttle:

When the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame was inaugurated, ten artists/acts, of the hundreds who were eligible, were selected ti be the first inductees:

Chuck Berry
James Brown
Ray Charles
Sam Cooke
Fats Domino
The Everly Brothers
Buddy Holly
Jerry Lee Lewis
Little Richard
Elvis Presley

An impressive list. Of all of them, only two survive: Don Everly, (of The Everly Brothers) and Jerry Lee Lewis (of his own bad self). The past is slowly receding...

<O>

05-09-20, 11:29 AM	#1
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Little Richard, Rock Icon, Founding Father, & Legend, Passes way AT 87 Years Little Richard, who was one of the greatest legends of early Rock & Roll passed away at the age of 87: Little Richard, Founding Father of Rock Who Broke Musical Barriers, Dead at 87 -- https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...rd-dead-48505/ To say Richard was an influence on all who came after him would be an understatement of his musical and stylistic impact on Rock and other genres of music. He often referred to himself as "The Originator", a claim/boast few would challenge. The list of acts and performers who nicked bits and pieces of his style is long and varied; The Beatles openly and gratefully acknowledged the influence he had on their music (the head shaking, hair waving "Woo0"'s are direct clones of Richard) and Prince was an ongoing tribute to Little Richard. Almost without exception, acts and performers cited the debt they owed to Little Richard... I saw him perform only once, in the late 70s, but I never forgot the great show he put on, even in his middle-aged years. The audience was a blend of young and old, all races, and all classes. He spoke to each of their sensibilities without having to alter who he was and and how he performed; the audience loved him for just being Little Richard... He lived in Los Angeles off and on for several years and I would often see him here in Hollywood. He would go through periods of being devoutly religious and then being fervently secular. During his religious phases, he would go to testify on the streets of Hollywood; he was an actual ordained minister and he would seek out the street people and runaways and speak with them, not preach at them, and he always treated them with a respect they, in turn, gave to him. It was a true inspirational sight to behold... He wrestled all his life with the dichotomy of faith and the secular and vacillated several times in his life between the two, but he was, at heart, a natural talent and a true showman. A while back, I was flipping through the TV channels and a couple of those talent/reality shows popped up in the mix and it made me think about how persons and acts on those shows are probably influenced by so many of the past legends of all kinds of music and, yet, if those same legends were to be up and coming artists today, they probably wouldn't even pass the auditions for those shows. True talent like Little Richard can't be manufactured and I think the music world, and the world in general , is better for that... Here's Little Richard, in his mid-30s, at the height of the British Invasion and Beatlemania, doing a live show in Paris, for what appears to have been a TV show. Raw power, vast talent, and an ability to connect with the audience on a primal level: its all here: I've got to give a tip of the hat to the sax player in the band, who compliments Little Richards fierce voice with his own fierceness... RIP, Little Richard and rest you well. Thank you for all the great memories and music; the next time we hear thunder and lightning, maybe it will just be you and Chuck and Bo having a bit of a jam session... <O> __________________ __________________________________________________ __

05-09-20, 01:11 PM	#2
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,360 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	I am embarrassed, but I thought he died a few years ago. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

05-09-20, 01:51 PM	#3
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,446 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Another true great has left us. RIP __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

05-09-20, 02:59 PM	#4
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 17,765 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	This was the music that won me over to Rock 'n roll, Beatles and Creedence all came later. Sad to hear, he really was one of the first. Rest in Peace. __________________ >^..^<*)))>{ All generalizations are wrong.

05-09-20, 03:56 PM	#5
Mr Quatro Navy Seal Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 6,772 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Goodby Little Richard RIP I hope they have a band in heaven as good as this one Reminds me of french fries and catshup for some reason __________________ pla•teau noun a relatively stable level, period, or condition a level of attainment or achievement Lord help me get to the next plateau ..

05-09-20, 05:12 PM	#6
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	This is an article listing some of the very many tributes persons in all fields have given to the memory of Little Richard: Celebrities pay tribute to pioneer Little Richard: 'The king of rock 'n' roll. Zero questions.' -- https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...190720439.html From the above article, a clip where David Bowie gives his own experience of the influence of Little Richard on his life, followed by Little Richard at full throttle: When the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame was inaugurated, ten artists/acts, of the hundreds who were eligible, were selected ti be the first inductees: Chuck Berry James Brown Ray Charles Sam Cooke Fats Domino The Everly Brothers Buddy Holly Jerry Lee Lewis Little Richard Elvis Presley An impressive list. Of all of them, only two survive: Don Everly, (of The Everly Brothers) and Jerry Lee Lewis (of his own bad self). The past is slowly receding... <O> __________________ __________________________________________________ __