Overview

The first major biography of Little Richard, a rollicking, nuanced celebration of the late singer/songwriter's life and his role in the history of American music-gospel, soul, rock, and more Tutti Frutti * Rip It Up * Good Golly Miss Molly * Lucille * Long Tall Sally * You Keep A-Knockin' Little Richard blazed the trail for generations of musicians-The Beatles, James Brown, the Everly Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Prince . . . the list seems endless. He was The Originator, The Innovator, and the self-anointed King and Queen of Rock 'n' Roll. When he died on May 9, 2020, The Big Life of Little Richard-a nearly-completed book-was immediately updated to cover the international response to his death. It is the first major biography of Macon, Georgia's Richard Wayne Penniman, who was, until his passing, the last rock god standing. Mark Ribowsky, acclaimed biographer of musical icons-the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding-takes readers through venues, gigs, and studios, conveying the sweaty energy of music sessions limited to a few tracks on an Ampex tape machine and vocals sung along with a live band. He explores Little Richard's musicianship; his family life; his uphill battle against racism; his interactions with famous contemporaries and the media; and his lifelong inner conflict between his religion and his sexuality. The Big Life of Little Richard not only explores a legendary stage persona, but also a complex life under the makeup and pomade, the neon-lit duds and piano pyrotechnics, along with a full-body dive into the waters of sexual fluidity. By 2020, eighty-seven-year-old Little Richard's electrifying smile was still intact, as were his bona fides as rock's kingly architect: the '50s defined his reign, and he extended elder statesmanship ever since. His biggest smash, Tutti Frutti, is one of history's most covered songs-a staple of the pre-Invasion Beatles-and Elvis pivoted from country to blues rock after Little Richard made R&B's sexual overtones a fundament of the new musical order. Even Hendrix, the greatest instrumentalist in rock history, toured with him before launching a meteoric solo career. Whenever someone pushes the music and culture of rock to its outer borders, one should turn to Little Richard for assurance that anything is possible.

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9781635767223

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We had the great pleasure of performing with Little Richard. He opened the door for Elvis Presley, James Brown, Chuck Berry, and all the greats that came thereafter. This is a must-read for music lovers. -Dr. Otis Williams, founding member of The Temptations Little Richard kicked open the doors to a new world of wonder for everyone from Dylan to Hendrix to Led Zeppelin to Prince-to everything we now take for granted when we think of the most extraordinary music of the late 20th century. Mark Ribowsky tells the whole tutti-frutti story in wop-bop-a-lu-bop style. -Mick Wall, bestselling author of When Giants Walked the Earth: A Biography of Led Zeppelin Few artists in the history of rock 'n' roll personified the raw rhythm and rebelliousness of the musical genre like Little Richard. In The Big Life of Little Richard, author Mark Ribowsky has matched a rockin' prose style with an in-depth exploration of the man and his musicianship. This book should be in every rock fan's library. -John Glatt, author of Live at the Fillmore East and West: Getting Backstage and Personal with Rock's Greatest Legends Praise for Mark Ribowsky A dishy, insider look at Berry Gordy's making of the Supremes...Ribowsky nicely intersperses some hindsight reflections by the main players...In this engaging, vivacious account, Ribowksy energetically and thoroughly underscores the Supremes' significance as one of the first crossover successes. -Publishers Weekly on The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success and Betrayal Perfect...The virtue of Ribowsky's book is that he brings the story down to earth without sacrificing its drama. Relying on frank and extensive interviews...Ribowsky spends time on details other writers have taken for granted. -Greil Marcus on He's a Rebel: Phil Spector-Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer Ribowksy's exploration of Wonder's music is first-rate. -Publishers Weekly on Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Soulful Journey of Stevie Wonder

Praise for Mark Ribowsky A dishy, insider look at Berry Gordy's making of the Supremes...Ribowsky nicely intersperses some hindsight reflections by the main players...In this engaging, vivacious account, Ribowksy energetically and thoroughly underscores the Supremes' significance as one of the first crossover successes. -Publishers Weekly on The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success and Betrayal Perfect...The virtue of Ribowsky's book is that he brings the story down to earth without sacrificing its drama. Relying on frank and extensive interviews...Ribowsky spends time on details other writers have taken for granted. -Greil Marcus on He's a Rebel: Phil Spector-Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer Ribowksy's exploration of Wonder's music is first-rate. -Publishers Weekly on Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Soulful Journey of Stevie Wonder

Author Information

Mark Ribowsky is the New York Times acclaimed author of The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success, and Betrayal; He's a Rebel: Phil Spector-Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer; Don't Look Back: Stachel Paige in the Shadows of Baseball; and Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Soulful Journey of Stevie Wonder. He has written for SPORT magazine and Inside Sports, TV Guide, Playboy, and Penthouse. Ribowsky has appeared on Dateline NBC, Primetime Live (ABC), Connie Chung, Geraldo Rivera, The Tavis Smiley Show, and many other network and cable TV shows. He lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

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