Legendary Rock & Roll artist and music barrier breaker, Little Richard has passed away today at the age of 87. His son, Danny Penniman, confirmed the artist’s passing to Rolling Stones magazine. The cause of death is unknown at this time.
Little Richard is one of the originators of rock and roll music. He released classic songs like “Lucille”, “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tally Sally” which have been sampled by many hip-hop and pop artists. His loud screams and flamboyant way of dressing made him stand out in the late 1950’s and influence all-time great artists like Michael Jackson, Prince and The Beatles.
“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.”
This news of Little Richard’s death comes at an awful timing. Hip-hop executive, Andre Harell passed away yesterday. We lost two highly influential and amazing contributors to music history in less than 24 hours of each other.
Rest In Peace to Little Richard. His legacy and his mark on rock and roll music will never be forgotten.
“Rock n’ Roll never left. It died with Black stars and lived with white artists … don’t nobody own me, can’t nobody claim me. I couldn’t borrow nothing. They didn’t help me. I made it through blood, sweat and guts.” – Little Richard pic.twitter.com/6wFP7g64yB
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 9, 2020
