Little Richard

Background

Little Richard was born on December 5, 1932. He was born Richard Wayne Penniman in Macon, Georgia. His father was a church deacon and a mason who owned a nightclub, while his mother was a member of the local New Hope Baptist Church. He was an average student who spent most of his time practicing music.

Richard began his career at 14 when Sister Rosetta Tharpe invited him to open her show. The opportunity inspired him to be a professional performer. In 1949, he joined Doctor Nubilo’s traveling show to improve his career. A few years later, Richard left home in search of greener pastures. He became part of the band that toured the country while the bluesman, Buster Brown, was absent. He was addressed as “Little Richard,” although his family had already begun to call him “Lil Richard” due to his peculiar appearance. His performance won him a contract with R.C.A. Victor. With the label, he released ‘Every Hour.’ In 1955, he released ‘Tutti Frutti,’ the single that sold over a million copies and won several awards in both the U.S. and U.K. He immediately backed it up with another hit track in 1956 titled ‘Long Tall Sally,’ which also sold over a million copies.

If you are an avid listener of mid-20th century rock, gospel, and soul, Richard should sound familiar for his performances and for injecting life into various music genres. Richard met his future wife, Ernestine Harvin, at an evangelical rally in 1957. They married two years later and lived happily for years before divorcing in 1964. Although he has had several controversies surrounding his sexual orientation, he had ensured to prevent that from hindering his musical performance.