I am so sorry to hear that news WP. He was one of the most exciting performers and singers on the planet in his day. He made loads of fantastic records, including my very favourite record ever made in my lifetime... Lucille. No synthesised musical instruments ever with him. He just went into the recording studio with his band and recorded perhaps several times until there was a top class master. Just like this!....
Great artist. The King and Queen of Rock and Roll. Ripped off by Pat Boone so white parents wouldn't worry about their kids. "They didn’t want me to be in the white guys’ way … I felt I was pushed into a rhythm and blues corner to keep out of rockers’ way, because that’s where the money is. When ‘Tutti Frutti’ came out … They needed a rock star to block me out of white homes because I was a hero to white kids. The white kids would have Pat Boone upon the dresser and me in the drawer ’cause they liked my version better, but the families didn’t want me because of the image that I was projecting."
He, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino got me through high school rockin in the 50s. Love his songs!!!!!!!!! Adios, brother. My favorite---Keep a'Knockin.
Yes, Pat fricken Boone sang many R&R songs to "clean them up" for us white kids. The black song-- Work With Me Annie turned into-- Dance With Me Henry, by Mr Bone head.
Little restrospect on the news tonight about him His father kicked him out when he was 15 because he thought he was too Frutti (pun intended) I never knew that about him, born in 1932, so that would have been around 1947, and Tutti Frutti came out 1955 So that 47 to 55 era very interesting, Wikipedia just says this "Before entering the tenth grade, Penniman left his family home and joined Dr. Hudson's Medicine Show in 1949, performing Louis Jordan's "Caldonia".[22] Penniman recalled that the song was the first secular R&B song he learned, since his family had strict rules against playing R&B music, which they considered "devil music."[23] Penniman also performed in drag during this time, performing under the name "Princess LaVonne".[24] In 1950, Penniman joined his first musical band, Buster Brown's Orchestra, where Brown gave him the name Little Richard.[25] Performing in the minstrel show circuit, Penniman, in and out of drag, performed for various vaudeville acts such as Sugarfoot Sam from Alabam, the Tidy Jolly Steppers, the King Brothers Circus and Broadway Follies." So what exactly is/was a Medicine Show?
Medicine Shows were common here in the United States. A troupe of people would travel across country pawning off miracle cures in a bottle. In between their sales pitch they offered free entertainment btw I'm sure you remember the rock group "Dr Hook and the Medicine Show"
