Who is Little Richard?

Little Richard is a musical performer who was popular in the 1950s with such hits as "Tutti Frutti" and "Long Tall Sally." Many consider him to be an influential figure in the early development of rock n' roll music.

Little Richard, whose real name is Richard Wayne Penniman, was born in Macon, Georgia, on Dec. 5, 1932. His father kicked him out of their home at age 13, and later Richard moved in with a family who owned a club. Here, Richard began performing live. After a few years of performing rock n' roll music, Richard transitioned to recording strictly gospel before moving back into rock n' roll after The Beatles covered his hit "Long Tall Sally" in 1964.