Little Richard can genuinely stake a claim on having invented rock ’n’ roll. A black artist who grew up in the segregated South, Richard Penniman broke down barriers and took 1950s America by storm. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones supported him, and took inspiration from his musicianship and stagecraft.
Featuring stellar interviewees, including Ringo Starr, Keith Richards, Nile Rodgers and Big Freedia, alongside intimate contributions from friends and bandmates and the never-before-broadcast words of Little Richard himself, this feature-length documentary tells the story of a rollercoaster life; of musical highs and knuckle-biting lows, and makes the case that Richard should be crowned the king – and queen – of rock ‘n’ roll.
“Fantastic, definitive profile” ★★★★ – The Telegraph
★★★★ The Times
Directed by James House; Minnow Films / BBC