Film

Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock 'n' Roll

2023 · 1h 29m · Music · Documentary

IMDb

7.2

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. Yet 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.

Little Richard

Self (Archival Footage)

Big Freedia

Self

Keith Richards

Self

Nile Rodgers

Self

Ringo Starr

Self

Ron Jones

Self

Charles White

Self

Bobby Rush

Self

Deacon John Moore

Self

Robert Blackwell

Self

Pat Boone

Self

Sir Lady Java

Self

• James HouseDirector
• Joanna BoatengProducer
• Dearl NelsonProducer
• Sophie LeonardExecutive Producer
• Brendan EastonDirector of Photography
• Mat DavidsonOriginal Music Composer
• Shane McCormackEditor

Release date

April 22, 2023

Status

Released

Original language

English

Runtime

1h 29m

Rated

NR

Genres

Music, Documentary