Editing Little Richard (section)

===1947–1955: Beginnings===
In October 1947, Sister Rosetta Tharpe overheard the fourteen-year-old Richard singing her songs before a performance at the [[Macon City Auditorium]]. She invited him to open her show.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/music/sister-rosetta-tharpe-singer-influenced-key-rock-roll-figures/UTzkpIsRNvvenWoaTGamtM/|title=Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Singer influenced key rock 'n' roll figures|last=Ruggieri|first=Melissa|date=March 12, 2018|website=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|access-date=December 5, 2019|archive-date=December 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205091706/https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/music/sister-rosetta-tharpe-singer-influenced-key-rock-roll-figures/UTzkpIsRNvvenWoaTGamtM/|url-status=live}}</ref> After the show, Tharpe paid him, inspiring him to become a professional performer.{{sfn|White|2003|p=17}}{{sfn|Lauterbach|2011|p=152}} In 1949, he began performing in Doctor Nubillo's traveling show. Richard was inspired to wear turbans and capes in his career by Nubillo, who also "carried a black stick and exhibited something he called 'the devil's child'—the dried-up body of a baby with claw feet like a bird and horns on its head." Nubillo told Richard he was "gonna be famous".{{sfn|White|2003|pp=21–22}}

Before entering the tenth grade, Richard left his family home and joined Hudson's Medicine Show in 1949, performing [[Louis Jordan]]'s "[[Caldonia]]".{{sfn|White|2003|pp=21–22}} Richard recalled that the song was the first secular R&B song he learned since his family had strict rules against playing R&B music, which they considered "devil music".{{sfn|White|2003|p=22: "It was the only song I knew that wasn't a church song"}} Other sources also indicate that Little Richard was influenced by Jordan. In fact, according to one reliable source, the whoop sound on Jordan's record "Caldonia" sounds eerily like the vocal tone Little Richard would adopt in addition to the "Jordan-style pencil-thin mustache".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/Caldonia.pdf|title=Caldonia Louis Jordan (1945) Library of Congress|website=[[Library of Congress]]|access-date=February 21, 2021|archive-date=March 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318102826/https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/Caldonia.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cleveland.com/onstage/2015/01/vintage_photos_rock_hall_induc.html|title=Vintage photos: Rock Hall inductee Louis Jordan is the music master behind 'Five Guys Named Moe'|first1=rea|last1=Simakis|work=The Plain Dealer|date=January 23, 2015|access-date=February 21, 2021|archive-date=July 31, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210731192032/https://www.cleveland.com/onstage/2015/01/vintage_photos_rock_hall_induc.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Richard also performed in [[drag (clothing)|drag]] during this time, performing under the name "Princess LaVonne".{{sfn|White|2003|pp=22–25}} In 1950, Richard joined his first musical band, Buster Brown's Orchestra, where Brown named him Little Richard.{{sfn|White|2003|pp=22–23}} Performing in the [[minstrel show]] circuit, Richard, in and out of drag, appeared for [[vaudeville]] acts such as Sugarfoot Sam from Alabam, the Tidy Jolly Steppers, the King Brothers Circus, and the Broadway Follies.{{sfn|White|2003|pp=24–25}} Having settled in [[Atlanta]] at this point, Richard began listening to rhythm and blues and frequented Atlanta clubs, including the Harlem Theater and the Royal Peacock, where he saw performers such as [[Roy Brown (blues musician)|Roy Brown]] and [[Billy Wright (musician)|Billy Wright]] onstage. Richard was further influenced by Brown's and Wright's flashy showmanship and even more so by Wright's flamboyant persona. Inspired by Brown and Wright, he decided to become a rhythm-and-blues singer. After befriending Wright, he began to learn how to be an entertainer from him, and began adapting a [[Pompadour (hairstyle)|pompadour hairdo]] similar to Wright's, wearing flashier clothes, and using Wright's brand of pancake makeup.{{sfn|White|2003|p=25}}

Impressed by his singing voice, Wright put him in contact with Zenas Sears, a local DJ. Sears recorded Richard at his station, backed by Wright's band. The recordings led to a contract that year with [[RCA Victor]]{{when|date=August 2023}}.{{sfn|White|2003|p=28}} Richard recorded a total of eight sides for RCA Victor, including the blues ballad, "Every Hour", which became his first single and a hit in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].{{sfn|White|2003|p=28}} The release of "Every Hour" improved his relationship with his father, who began regularly playing the song on his nightclub jukebox.{{sfn|White|2003|p=28}} Shortly after the release of "Every Hour", Richard was hired to front Perry Welch and His Orchestra and played at clubs and army bases for $100 a week.{{sfn|White|2003|p=29}} Richard left RCA Victor in February 1952 after his records failed to chart; the recordings were marketed with little promotion, although ads for the records showed up in ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''.

After his father's death in 1952, Richard began to find success through RCA Victor's reissue of the recordings on the budget [[RCA Camden]] label. He continued to perform during this time and Clint Brantley agreed to manage Richard's career. Moving to [[Houston]], he formed a band called the Tempo Toppers, performing as part of blues [[package tour]]s in Southern clubs such as Club Tijuana in [[New Orleans]] and Club Matinee in Houston. Richard signed with [[Don Robey]]'s [[Peacock Records]] in February 1953, recording eight sides, including four with [[Johnny Otis]] and his band that were not released at that time.{{sfn|White|2003|pp=36–38}} Like his venture with RCA Victor, none of his Peacock singles charted, despite his growing reputation for high energy antics onstage.<ref name="Britannica">{{Cite web|publisher=Britannica Online Encyclopedia|title=Little Richard (American musician)|first=Langdon C.|last=Winner|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/344190/Little-Richard|access-date=March 7, 2013|archive-date=March 7, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307125738/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/344190/Little-Richard|url-status=live}}</ref> Richard began complaining of monetary issues with Robey, leading Robey to knock him out during a scuffle.

Disillusioned by the record business, Richard returned to Macon in 1954. Struggling with poverty, he settled for work as a dishwasher for [[Southeastern Greyhound Lines|Greyhound Lines]]. While in Macon, he met [[Esquerita]], whose flamboyant onstage persona and dynamic piano playing would deeply influence Richard's approach.<ref name="esquerita">{{Cite web |work=[[Oxford American]] |url=https://www.oxfordamerican.org/magazine/item/1857-esquerita-and-the-voola |title=Esquerita and the Voola |last=Woods |first=Baynard |date=November 19, 2019 |access-date=May 9, 2020 |archive-date=May 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514032201/https://www.oxfordamerican.org/magazine/item/1857-esquerita-and-the-voola |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="rsobit">{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/little-richard-dead-48505/ |last=Browne |first=David |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=May 9, 2020 |access-date=May 9, 2020 |title= Little Richard, Founding Father of Rock Who Broke Musical Barriers, Dead at 87}}</ref> That year, he disbanded the Tempo Toppers and formed a harder-driving rhythm and blues band, [[The Upsetters (American band)|the Upsetters]], which included drummer [[Charles Connor]] and saxophonist Wilbert "Lee Diamond" Smith that toured under Brantley's management. The band supported R&B singer Christine Kittrell on some recordings, then began to tour successfully, even without a bassist, forcing drummer Connor to thump "real hard" on his bass drum to get a "[[bass fiddle]] effect".{{sfn|White|2003|pp=38–39}} In 1954, Richard signed on to a Southern tour with [[Little Johnny Taylor]].{{sfn|White|2003|pp=38–39}}<ref name="Allmusic2013a">{{Cite web|website=AllMusic|title=Grady Gaines|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p78484/biography|pure_url=yes}}|access-date=March 6, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |first=Jonny |last=Whiteside |url=https://www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2014/05/14/charles-connor-the-rock-and-roll-original |title=Charles Connor: The Rock and Roll Original |work=LA Weekly |date=May 14, 2014 |access-date=July 30, 2020 |archive-date=December 23, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223080226/http://www.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2014/05/14/charles-connor-the-rock-and-roll-original |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:In Person 'Lucille' Little Richard and his Orchestra.jpg|alt=A poster advertising Little Richard and his orchestra|thumb|A poster for a Little Richard show, {{circa}} 1956]]
At the suggestion of [[Lloyd Price]], Richard sent a demo to Price's label, [[Specialty Records]], in February 1955. Months passed before Richard got a call from the label.{{sfn|White|2003|pp=40–41}} Finally, in September of that year, Specialty owner [[Art Rupe]] loaned Richard money to buy out his Peacock contract and set him to work with producer [[Robert "Bumps" Blackwell]].{{sfn|Nite|1982|p=390}} Upon hearing the demo, Blackwell felt Richard was Specialty's answer to [[Ray Charles]], however, Richard told him he preferred the sound of [[Fats Domino]]. Blackwell sent him to New Orleans where he recorded at [[Cosimo Matassa]]'s J&M Studios, recording there with several of Domino's session musicians, including drummer [[Earl Palmer]] and saxophonist [[Lee Allen (musician)|Lee Allen]].{{sfn|White|2003|pp=44–47}} Richard's recordings that day failed to produce much inspiration or interest (although Blackwell saw some promise).{{sfn|White|2003|pp=55–56}}<ref name=Allmusic2013b>{{Cite web|website=AllMusic|title=Little Richard|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4765|access-date=March 6, 2013|archive-date=July 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718180023/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4765|url-status=live}}</ref>

Frustrated, Blackwell and Richard went to relax at the Dew Drop Inn nightclub. According to Blackwell, Richard then launched into a risqué [[dirty blues]] he titled "[[Tutti Frutti (song)|Tutti Frutti]]". Blackwell said he felt the song had hit potential and hired songwriter [[Dorothy LaBostrie]] to replace some of Richard's sexual lyrics with less controversial ones.{{sfn|White|2003|pp=55–56}}<ref name=Allmusic2013b/> Recorded in three takes in September 1955, "Tutti Frutti" was released as a single that November{{sfn|White|2003|p=264}} and became an instant hit, reaching No. 2 on ''[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'' magazine's [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Rhythm and Blues Best-Sellers]] chart and crossing over to the pop charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom. It reached No. 21 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Top 100]] in America and No. 29 on the British singles chart, eventually selling a million copies.<ref name="Britannica" /><ref name=pc6>{{Cite web|url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19752/|title=Show 6 – Hail, Hail, Rock 'n' Roll: The rock revolution gets underway|publisher=Digital.library.unt.edu|date=March 16, 1969|access-date=September 18, 2010|archive-date=July 13, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713133116/http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19752/|url-status=live}}</ref>