The Life And Times Of Little Richard [Paperback]

Charles White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 1994

James Brown called him his idol. Mick Jagger called him the king, Elvis Presley called him the greatest. Otis Redding called him his inspiration. Muhammad Ali called him his favorite singer. Jimi Hendrix said he wanted to do with his guitar what Little Richard did with his voice. And they all agreed on one thing: Little Richard, more than anyone else, personified the energy of rock n roll. Decked out in a mirrored suit, his hair pampadour, his face covered in pancake makeup, and his ferocious eyes mesmerized the crowd, he stomped, jumped, and screamed his way to the top of the charts with songs like "Rip It Up," "Long Tall Sally," "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Tutti Frutti," and "Slippin' and Slidin'."Here is the authorized biography of this legendary king of rock n roll, now fully updated to include his recent comeback, and including a complete discography and sessionography. Written largely in Richard's own words, but also including testimony from a star-studded cast of family, friends, and fellow musicians, this classic of rock literature tells all—his flamboyant stage antics; his blatant flaunting of racial taboos; his sexual experiences; his bewildering career that careened between show business and the church; and exactly how he created the music that would become a symbol of rebellion for kids all over the world.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charles White is the author of Killer!, the authorized biography of Jerry Lee Lewis. Dubbed "Dr. Rock" by the British press, he teaches a course on rock history at Scarborough College, and broadcasts regularly on BBC-Radio and BBC-TV. He lives in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; Updated edition (March 22, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306805529
• ISBN-13: 978-0306805523
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #426,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars a shabby scrapbook, July 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Life And Times Of Little Richard (Paperback)

Little Richard is such an important figure in 20th-century music that it is crucial that there be a biography of him out there. However, this biography is more a scrapbook than a polished work. Oftentimes, you can't tell when the author, Richard, or an acquaintance is speaking. There is no analysis of the events in Richard's life. This book pales in comparison to texts on Billy Strayhorn, Josephine Baker, etc. This book drags on about concert after concert after concert. Besides, Richard is in his homophobic phase at the time of the book's writing and there is no attempt to put his self-loathing into context. I needed to learn more about Richard, so I am glad this book exists. However, this was a poor piece of autobiography and I am surprised that the author did not take the time to fine tune his work.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Long Overdue Biography of a King, September 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Life And Times Of Little Richard (Paperback)

The Homewood, IL reviewer (07-08-01) suggested that the author rushed this work. It's been well-documented in print and on radio interviews that the book took many years to write - in fact the author made several trips from England to California to speak one-on-one with The Quasar himself, his former Managers, sidemen, songwriters, and on and on.
What the reviewer is probably most bothered by is the discography section. Yes, it was poorly edited and lacking in some important details - but it's been suggested that the sessiongraphy was conceived to include a running commentary by Little Richard and to account for, perhaps, one-third of the book. It's understandable that such an approach benefits only deep fans and historians, so the proverbial "bottom line" was apparently applied to the project.
Life & Times...is the author's first book and he displayed a fine writing ability, with a colorful descriptive sense. At times, his hyperbolic approach can make the unitiated uneasy, but considering the bombastic style of the subject, it fits.
Although some parts of his career remain in mystery even after this book release, the better-known periods recieve a thorough review: his childhood years involving sexual confusion and a growing awareness that he had something special to offer the music culture; the swingin' R & B years when R & R was confined to clubs; the R & R Revival period when he made a successful "comeback" and convinced many that he had the greatest voice all along; the struggle with drugs in the early '70s leading to an almost overnight clean-up and a rediscovered spirituality.
Richard was not singing Rock and Roll when the hardcover came out in September, 1984. It is believed that this work created a strong enough interest in his career, that a critically acclaimed "Contemporary Christian" album "Lifetime Friend" and a memorable appearance in Paul Mazursky's movie "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" (which included a Richard Top 50 hit for '86) led to his return to Rock in '89. (Which made some folks, who thought he was better situated in the non-secular world, uncomfortable). But there is no doubt that this book filled a major void in the rock music press.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Shocking but True!, May 14, 2007

By 

George LaTour "retired journalist" (West Greenwich, RI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Life And Times Of Little Richard (Paperback)

The book gives a good insight into the wild life of Little Richard which rings true but is nonetheless shocking even for an open-minded reader. Yet,I can't help admire the man for giving it his all and the frank disclosure he affords in his book.