by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
For me, the prospect of chatting with Little Richard via telephone was exciting, inspiring and daunting. His career spans more than fifty years of milestones, which includes millions of records sold, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1986), appearances in movies, television shows, commercials, rock documentaries and many more honors. Unequivocally, Richard is one of the inventors of rock ’n’ roll and has enjoyed a long, distinguished career of notable accomplishments. Now in his seventies, Richard is still touring with an 11-piece band and booked to appear on another one of those funny Geico commercials, which he credits with boosting his later career with massive exposure.
Not that anyone would ever forget Little Richard. He transcends stardom as an American rock icon and recognizable celebrity. His flamboyant style inspired many musical stars, including Michael Jackson and countless others. Before Little Richard, there was nothing but mediocrity on the airwaves, broadcasting boring artists like Frankie Avalon and Fabian. Little Richard raised the consciousness and showmanship of rock ’n’ roll with his eye and face makeup, pencil-thin mustache, eccentric style, and animated stage persona. Richard supercharged rock ’n’ roll with the cult of personality, presenting a romping, stomping rock show with such smash hits as Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally, Rip It Up, Lucille, Jenny Jenny, Keep A Knocking, Good Golly, Miss Molly, Ooh! My Soul, and many others.
After all that, Little Richard has not slowed down. His mission is to spread joy to his audiences, and his amazing energy came out in his enthusiastic replies to my questions. The man is driven by spiritual energy to support all the people in his band and entourage who depend on him for their living. Little Richard continues to give 110% to his music and his audiences with a big splashy show that harkens back to the heyday of big bands and the emergence of soul with such artists as James Brown and Marvin Gaye.
During our delightful chat, I was struck by Little Richard’s zest for life and his sincere love of performing live. His strong spiritual belief in God and bringing his message of love to his fans energized me and made me feel Little Richard’s joy. I asked him what he felt was his greatest achievement after all these years of milestones. We also talked about his past and present career, which continues to flourish.
“Well, I’ve been blessed to live a long life and to be healthy enough to keep doing what I love, and that’s performing live shows for my fans. I love all aspects of show business, but I get the biggest kick out of performing live with my 11-piece band. God has given me the energy to spread joy to people, and I feel that is my mission on earth. So, continuing to do this is my greatest achievement.”
“A while back, there was a rumor that I was going to retire, but I just cut back a little, that’s all. As long as I’m healthy, and God willing, I will continue to perform live shows and other forms of show business. You know, I get hundreds of offers every day, but I’m in a position to pick and choose which ones I will do. I have so many people working for me, I can’t just stop and let them down. I feel responsible for their well-being. So I continue to travel, but lately, I’ve stopped going overseas. The flights are just too long for me.”
“Our present tour opened at Disney World and we’ll be coming to St. Augustine, which I remember is a pretty place. I’m just excited every day that I’m able to continue performing. God has given me this gift and I feel His love, which I give to my fans every night I perform. I’m like an evangelist, but I let my joyful music do the preaching. This present show is my best live act I’ve ever put together. It’s exciting for me and the audience. It features a variety of music and dancing on-stage.”
Clearly, I’m inspired by Little Richard’s love of life and performing. He was easy to talk with and his motivation for continuing his career is genuinely righteous. Some would consider Little Richard the most important icon of rock ’n’ roll because of his early influence on its formation. I wholeheartedly agree with this conclusion. Long may he run.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
