Little Richard

Richard Wayne Penniman, known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Architect of Rock and Roll", Richard's most celebrated work dates from the mid-1950s, when his charismatic showmanship and dynamic music, characterized by frenetic piano playing, pounding back beat and powerful raspy vocals, laid the foundation for rock and roll. Richard's innovative emotive vocalizations and uptempo rhythmic music played a key role in the formation of other popular music genres, including soul and funk. He influenced singers and musicians across musical genres from rock to hip hop; his music helped shape rhythm and blues for generations.

5 December 1932

Born on the same birth date (5 December 1932): Alf Dubs, Baron Dubs • Nadira (Indian actress) • Nobel Prize in Physics

Born on the same birth day (5 December): December 5 • Eduard Seler • Gennadiy Agapov • Harry Holgate • Joakim Lindström • Nick Stahl • Oleksandr Yaroslavskyi • Peter Pohl • René Cresté • Robert Sobukwe • Ross Bagley • Sachiko Kokubu

Born in the same month (December 1932): Bill Hartack • Bobby Whitton • Charlie Rich • Claus Luthe • Colin Cowdrey • Dhirubhai Ambani • Don James (American football) • Dorsey Burnette • Enrique Bermúdez • J. B. Sumarlin • Jesse Belvin • John Bond (footballer) • John Hillerman • Keith Waldrop • Lin Zhao • Manuel Puig • Nadira (Indian actress) • Nichelle Nichols • Nobel Prize in Physics • On Kawara • Quentin Blake • Richard Clark Barkley • Takao Fujinami • Wayne Tippit