Architect of Rock 'N' Roll

Little Richard

Little Richard was the bridge between R&B and what--with his help--would come to be known as rock & roll. With the energetic one-two punch of "Tutti Frutti" and "Long Tall Sally" in 1955, Richard became a chart-topping hit-maker. His pounding piano, screaming vocals, and androgynous image helped create the template for rock's next several decades. Everyone from Prince to Presley has owed some of their success to this flamboyant and formidably talented pop icon.