Catch up TV

Episode 20 June 2023

Little Richard can stake a claim on having invented rock 'n' roll. A black artist who grew up in the segregated south of the United States, Richard Penniman broke down barriers and took 1950s America by storm. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones supported him and drew inspiration from his musicianship and stagecraft. He went on to influence artists as diverse as David Bowie, Elton John, Michael Jackson and Prince. \n \nYet Little Richard spent years feeling his contribution to music had been overlooked in favour of white rock 'n' roll stars like Elvis Presley and Pat Boone. On top of that, the inner conflict between his religious beliefs and the music style he pioneered – as well as his battles with his own sexuality – led him to quit rock 'n' roll not just once, but twice. \n \nFeaturing interviewees including Ringo Starr, Keith Richards, Nile Rodgers and Big Freedia, alongside intimate contributions from friends, bandmates and the never-before-broadcast words of Little Richard himself, this is the story of a rollercoaster life, with musical highs and knuckle-biting lows, that makes the case for Richard being crowned king of rock 'n' roll.

Source: BBC 2