Little Richard: 10 Interesting Facts About The Architect of Rock And Roll
Today (December 5) is Little Richard's celestial birthday. The godfather of rock and roll, graced us with unforgettable hits like “Tutti Frutti,” “Good Golly Miss Molly,” and “Long Tall Sally.” Even beyond his iconic songs, his fascinating career and personal life is astounding, which was detailed in the 2023 documentary "Little Richard: I Am Everything."
To celebrate, here are 10 intriguing, lesser-known, and often overlooked facts about this music legend, who passed away at the age of 87 in May 2020.
He Was Married For Two Years
Little Richard identified as gay, bisexual and even “omnisexual.” However, he was married for a brief time to a woman. On July 11, 1959, he married Ernestine Harvin, a secretary from Washington, D.C. They divorced in 1961, according to CNN.
He Had An Adopted Son
During his marriage to Ernestine, the couple adopted one son, Danny Jones Penniman. Little Richard and Danny Jones remained close over the years.
His Father Was Abusive
Little Richard shared that he suffered tremendous abuse by his father because of his sexuality. By 15 years old, he was kicked out of his home.
On an 1985 episode of "The South Bank Show," Little Richard said, "My daddy put me out of the house. He said he wanted seven boys, and I had spoiled it, because I was gay."
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“Tutti Frutti” Was About Booty
While “Tutti Frutti” is considered a wholesome song, the actual lyrics were about booty.
According to "Deliberate Speed: The Origins of a Cultural Style in the American 1950s," the original lyrics were, “Tutti Frutti, good booty / If it don't fit, don't force it / You can grease it, make it easy.”
To be more palatable to the masses, the lyrics were changed to, “Tutti Frutti / aw rooty.”
See Little Richard explain above.
James Brown Was Influenced By Little Richard
Little Richard had a huge influence on James Brown. Both from Macon, Gerohia, Richard would end up giving Brown a huge break introducing him to his manager, Clint Brantley. Soon after, Brown would have his first hit with “Please, Please, Please” in 1956.
See their friendship depicted in the 2014 James Brown biopic "Get On Up."
He Struggled With Addiction
Little Richard struggled with drug addiction for many years. In 1981, he told Fred Saxon, “I used to take so much cocaine, my nose was big enough to park diesel trucks in.”
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He Performed At President Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala
On January 19, 1993, Little Richard Performed "Good Golly Miss Molly" at President Bill Clinton's inaugural gala.
See the epic performance above with the legendary Chuck Berry.
He Had An Epic Monologue About Race In ‘Down In and Out in Beverly Hills’
"Down In and Out in Beverly Hills" was a box office hit in 1986. Arguably, the best scene was Little Richard’s cameo about being a Black man living in Beverly Hills.
See above!
He Was One Of The Greatest Singers Of All Time
In November of 2008, Rolling Stone placed Little Richard at number 12 on their list of the 100 greatest singers.
See him belt out those powerhouse vocals in 1966.
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He Was Arrested In 1962
In 1962, Little Richard was arrested “for a sexual encounter with a man in a bus station restroom,” according to NBC News. It was an era in which gay men were often targeted for arrest by homophobic law enforcement. Bars and locations where queer men frequented were preyed upon. Little Richard doesn’t appear to have spoken publicly about the arrest.
To learn more about Little Richard, watch the doc "Little Richard: I Am Everything" -- see the trailer above.
