The Wild Men

1
The Wild Men

• Little Richard
• b. Richard Wayne Penniman Dec. 5, 1932
• Way of dress and outrageous style epitomized
  rocks spirit of rebellion
• 1 of 12 children, 2 uncles and grandfather were
  preachers
• Father was a bootlegger
• Kicked out of his home at 13
• Either due to his musical interests or
  homosexuality (stories vary)
• 1951 - Got a contract w/ RCA
• Sept. 1955 began recording for Specialty Records

2

• One song he cut was a filler called Tutti
  Fruiti
• Cleaned up considerably, original lyrics
• Tutti Frutti, good booty/If it dont fit, dont
  force it, you can grease it, make it easy
• Cut 36 songs for Specialty (7 were gold)
• 1956 - Tutti Frutti (18), Long Tall Sally (6)
  1957 - Lucille (21), Keep a Knockin (8) 1958
  - Good Golly Miss Molly (10)
• 1957 - Quit music after receiving a sign from God
• Returned to rock in 1964, stopped recording in
  the late 70s again

3

• After several failed musical ressurections,
  Little Richard survived into the 1980s w/ an
  autobiography, movie tv roles
• Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Why Do Fools Fall
  In Love, Last Action Hero also appeared on Full
  House, Martin, Miami Vice
• Had his best latter-day recording success singing
  childrens songs
• Probably best know for the theme song of the
  Magic School Bus
• 1986 - inducted into the RRHoF
• 1990 received a star on the Hollywood Walk of
  Fame
• 1992 played at the presidential inaugural ball
  for Bill Clinton

4
Jerry Lee Lewis

• b. Sept. 29, 1935
• Only had 3 top 10 hits in the first phase of his
  career, considered just as talented as Elvis
• Could have been as successful if his music wasnt
  so relentlessly wild his persona so hard-edged
• Parents were poor and he grew up listening to
  swing and Al Jolson records
• Earliest big influence was country star Jimmie
  Rodgers
• First played piano at 8 first performed at 15
• Religion played a major role in his early life
  often said RnR was the Devils Music

5

• Debut single Crazy Arms
• 1957 Whole Lotta Shakin Going On (3 pop, 1
  CW/RB)
• After appearing on Steve Allen Show, managed to
  sell 6 million copies
• Followed w/ Great Balls of Fire (2 pop, 3 CW,
  1 RB)
• Sold 5 million copies
• High school nickname was Killer
• Married Myra Gale Brown (his 13 yr old cousin) in
  1957
• Career went dry for nearly a decade
• In the late 60s re-emerged as a country act,
  which most of his work has been since
• 1986 inducted into the RRHoF

• Battled serious health legal issues through
  most of the 90s 2000s
• played by Dennis Quaid in Great Balls of Fire
  (1989)
• released Mean Old Man in 2009