When Little Richard entered the music scene in the 1950s, he did so with a quirkiness, charm and musical talent that broke barriers in the world of rock ‘n’ roll. Tucked away from the spotlight, however, was a match many devoted fans missed.
The new documentaryLittle Richard: I am everything”, which is now available to stream, explores the artist’s impact on rock ‘n’ roll and his enduring musical legacy, along with his internal struggles in embracing both his Christianity and his identity as a gay man.
Lisa CortesThe film’s director, said she decided to take part in a documentary about the black icon’s life after reading about «all the incredible people» she connected with throughout her life and the influence she had had around the world. at the time of his death in 2020 at age 87.
“I felt like, ‘Wow, you know what? It’s crazy that no one has done a story on him,’” Cortés said. After being presented with the opportunity to be on the project by film producer Liz Yale Marsh, Cortés said he joined the team in July 2021. Those appearing in the film include music giants Billy Porter, John Waters, Mick Jagger and Tom Jones. .
Cortés, who is the executive producer of the 2009 Emmy Award-winning prime-time film «Precious,» said she learned intimate details about Little Richard’s life by reading his authorized biography, «The Life and Times of Little Richard.» Richard,» which she called a great early source to «hear in his voice» the monumental moments that stood out in his career.
What Cortés finds most compelling about Little Richard’s story, he said, is his «explosive and so original» music, but also the «complicated life he led oscillating between the secular and the profane.»
“She’s such a complex character, but she’s also a person that’s being talked to now, as we look at gender fluidity and a variety of ways to express ourselves,” Cortés said.
Little Richard was born Richard Wayne Penniman in 1932, one of 12 brothers raised in Macon, Georgia. He was first introduced to gospel music in Pentecostal churches, and as a teenager his father kicked him out of the house for being gay. Little Richard burst out with his 1955 song “Tutti Frutti”, followed by hits like «Slippin’ and Slidin'» and «Good Golly Miss Molly,» all of which were often energetic and playful with sexual undertones.
Despite his musical success, Little Richard often struggled to reconcile his secular music lifestyle, his weirdness, and his religious beliefs. At the height of his career in 1957, during a show in Australia, the singer announced that he was leaving rock ‘n’ roll and attended oakwood college, a theological school in Huntsville, Alabama (now known as Oakwood University), where he studied and performed gospel music. He released the album «King Of The Gospel Singers» in 1961. Little Richard’s journey between rock ‘n’ roll and Christian music continued throughout his musical career, even when returned to the secular arena with «Little Richard Is Back (And There’s a Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On!)» in 1964.
Throughout the 1970s, Little Richard battled drug use, shuttled back and forth between Christian music and secular music, and at times denounced homosexuality. and once said, «If God can save an old homosexual like me, he can save anyone.» in a 1982 interviewhe told David Letterman that he had been gay all his life but that God had let him know that «He made Adam to be with Eve, not Steve.»
After his hiatus from secular music, Little Richard released «Great Gosh A’Mighty» in 1986, included on his «Lifetime Friend» album, and re-entered the world of performance. He went on to release other albums, including a Disney children’s album called «Shake It All About» in 1992. He also made appearances on film and television, often with his signature tagline, «Shut up!He announced his retirement in 2002 and gave a last interview in 2017 to a Christian station, where he shared how much God had changed his life. “I’m so glad to meet Jesus,” he said at the event.
Little Richard’s life story has elements that resonate with viewers today, Cortés said.
“We live in a time where trans, queer people are being criminalized, in a way that they shouldn’t be,” Cortés said. «And this film, if anything, is a testament to the power of a man from this community.»