Air Week: December 24-30, 2018

Early Little Richard: 1951-55 

Growing up in a poor section of Macon, GA wasn’t easy and young Richard Wayne Penniman found himself on his own, singing in clubs before he was 17. However, he was a musical sponge, picking up vocal and performance tips from blues shouters Billy Wright and Roy Brown and some piano licks from the young Esquerita. He landed his first record contract with RCA Victor in late 1951 and cut 4 singles that didn’t go anywhere for the major label. Then in early ’53, Richard was on Don Robey’s Peacock label where he didn’t fare any better. But through all the disappointing record sales, Little Richard was building a style that would burst open when he cut “Tutti Frutti” for Specialty Records in September of 1955. Matt The Cat digs out Little Richard’s long forgotten humble beginnings and spins them this week on the “Juke In The Back.” This is truly the “soul that came before Rock n’ Roll” with one of Rock n’ Roll’s TRUE pioneers.

LISTEN BELOW