Born Richard Wayne Penniman, the singer-songwriter and piano player is often credited with helping rock 'n' roll get its start as a genre.
The man himself spoke about his influence for Rolling Stone. "A lot of people call me the architect of rock & roll," he wrote. "I don't call myself that, but I believe it's true... it's a joy just to still be here. I think that when people want joy and fun and happiness, they want to hear the old-time rock & roll. And I'm just glad I was a part of that."
Little Richard hit it big with the song "Tutti Frutti" in 1955 and released other songs that included "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Long Tall Sally."
