When I was younger, I had a CD with the song “Tutti Frutti”. I listened to it constantly, not thinking about the words, the meaning, or even who wrote the song. Then one day when I was older, a friend of mine asked me, “Did you know that that song was originally more vulgar than the recordings now?” This made me question what I had been listening to for the greater portion of my life, and, since I didn’t know anything about the artist, I thought I’d look into the subject a little more.

His name is Richard Wayne Penniman, Little Richard. The artist surprisingly started out wanting to be a preacher! However, he was always very… different. Little Richard always had a great voice and talent for performing, but his looks did nothing for him. His producers even discussed the dilemma of how to make Little Richard more appealing to the general audience. So they kept rolling with the tunes; Richard did shows all throughout Georgia and Tennessee. One night, at the Dew Drop Inn, Little Richard was to play. This night didn’t seem to be any different from any other night. When he walked in, there was a piano- exactly what he wanted. Little Richard went up to the piano and began to play a song off the top of his head. “Awop-bop-a-Loo-Mop a-good-Goddam– Tutti Frutti, good booty!” After the performance, Little Richard was embarrassed to sing the song to anyone, but it sounded like a hit, so his producer tried to ask Dorothy La Bostrie to come up with some new, appropriate ones. Once this was all settled, the song was aired, and in no time it was a #1 hit. This is the version I know, and it wasn’t until recently that I discovered the original lyrics.  I also didn’t realize until recently how strange of a person Little Richard is.

Little Richard has vacillated between the ministry and stardom for many years, not able to decided which was more suitable for him. However, he also vacillated in terms of sexuality. Is he heterosexual? Is he homosexual? There have been many accounts of indecency and scandalous behavior that has even caused Little Richard to be imprisoned for certain periods of time. He was known for voyeurism and revealing himself to others. There was an account of Richard being in the passenger seat of a car while a woman had sex with two other men in the back seat. Many years passed that no one knew what to think about him. Finally, in 1995, Little Richard stated that he always knew that he was gay, though in 2007 he was described as a “bisexual alien”.

Though he wasn’t quite the type of artist I was anticipating, I still enjoy Little Richard’s music, regardless of his sexual orientation or past misdemeanors. I am happy to have been more educated on the topic and to come to find just how much Little Richard has affected pop and rock history in the United States.

Ruth Brown started out humbly when she signed with Atlantic Records. She sounded good, she had some original ‘quirks’ , and she really didn’t have anywhere else to start her singing, so she gave it a shot. Brown enjoyed recording, and she especially loved singing her own songs. However, she wasn’t often permitted to do so. She felt very strongly about singing the blues, but the owners of Atlantic were asking more of her- more upbeat, jumping tunes that would get the crowds moving. And each time that Brown would complain about this, Herb Abramson and Ahmet Ertegun just asked her to stay focused on what she was working on. This may have been okay if she had been paid the sum that she was supposed to. Her salary began to decrease, and it eventually reached the point where she wasn’t given money unless she asked for it. To make matters even worse, her somewhat hits were made huge by other, white artists, while Brown never saw a cent. Most people think that, once one is signed onto a record label, one should be receiving a handsome sum, at least to make a living. Brown was prohibited from singing the blues, when I’m sure she was feeling them most strongly, she wasn’t receiving her share/due, and everything that had made her famous just ended up making someone else famous more so than herself. Ruth Brown was a magnificent artist who hasn’t gotten the respect and credit that she deserves. Her squeals, sass, stage presence, and all-around powerfully moving voice were sure to wow any listener, including myself. I had never listened to Ruth Brown’s work until I was asked to read about her, and I am so glad to have had the opportunity to broaden my musical knowledge.

This past week, we were to read a chapter about T-Bone Walker and his life and legacy. I had never heard of him before but was shocked when I read about how huge of an impact he made on the development of music. Walker redefined R&B, and in no time, everyone wanted to be just like him.

When T-Bone was just starting out, blues guitarists weren’t very popular. The emphasis then was on brass instruments, specifically the trumpet, but somehow T-Bone started to make it. His crazy and amazing style of playing caught everyone’s attention. T-Bone was one of the main artists that emphasized the ‘swing’ in blues. He was quoted, saying, ” Swing the blues a little more. … Put a little life into it, a little pep; rock into it. Tap your foot off of what you’re doing.” Walker practiced a style of playing by wrapping his hand around the guitar neck, using his thumb; some believed that he achieved his unique sound this way. He really started to impress people, though, when he started playing the guitar behind his head! He would even do splits on stage without any errors musically. T-Bone was a showman, and girls went so crazy when he played that they would throw their purses, clothing, and money onto the stage.

Overall, T-Bone Walker’s impression was a lasting one, and it is said that he was “one of the few people who put dignity into blues.” This not only inspired other musicians at the time, but also left a mark and some footsteps to follow for the musicians that would come after.