I used to laugh when Little Richard used to say that he did it all before Prince, and how Prince was the one who copied him, mainly because of the way he expressed it, but boy was he telling the truth! I guess I never realized it because Little Richard was ahead of my time, and I never really looked into his career, but I'm telling you, seeing some of the pics that you guys are posting, I can definitely see Prince in them, from the pancake makeup, hair, thin mustache, dress, and even body shape, I see Prince in many of them!

Esquerita was a contemporary. Little Richard acknowledged his influence. When I first searched LR images yesterday, there were Esquerita photos mixed in there.

looby said:

I used to laugh when Little Richard used to say that he did it all before Prince, and how Prince was the one who copied him, mainly because of the way he expressed it, but boy was he telling the truth! I guess I never realized it because Little Richard was ahead of my time, and I never really looked into his career, but I'm telling you, seeing some of the pics that you guys are posting, I can definitely see Prince in them, from the pancake makeup, hair, thin mustache, dress, and even body shape, I see Prince in many of them!

See: https://www.facebook.com/...ted_videos

Am I the only who doesn't see the "Little Richard" influence on Prince?

macaylasdad said:

Am I the only who doesn't see the "Little Richard" influence on Prince?

Let's take looks/dress out of the equation. What Prince's music sounds anything like Little Richard's? I am sure Prince admired and respected him but if you were to say Prince was influenced by James Brown, I would say absoultley! Musically, I don't see it.

uh...baddass boogie woogie piano for one.

poppys said:

macaylasdad said:

Am I the only who doesn't see the "Little Richard" influence on Prince?

Let's take looks/dress out of the equation. What Prince's music sounds anything like Little Richard's? I am sure Prince admired and respected him but if you were to say Prince was influenced by James Brown, I would say absoultley! Musically, I don't see it.

uh...baddass boogie woogie piano for one.

can you provide me a Prince song where he does that? Thanks in advance.

macaylasdad said:

poppys said:

uh...baddass boogie woogie piano for one.

can you provide me a Prince song where he does that? Thanks in advance.

can you tell me that Prince does NOT play baddass boogie woogie piano as part of his repertoire? because if you can, I can't help U.

[Edited 5/11/20 8:35am]

poppys said:

macaylasdad said:

can you provide me a Prince song where he does that? Thanks in advance.

can you tell me that Prince does NOT play baddass boogie woogie piano as part of his repertoire? because if you can't, I can't help U.

that wasn't my question.... my question was can you provide me a Prince song where he does that? That would help me.

macaylasdad said:

Am I the only who doesn't see the "Little Richard" influence on Prince?

Let's take looks/dress out of the equation. What Prince's music sounds anything like Little Richard's? I am sure Prince admired and respected him but if you were to say Prince was influenced by James Brown, I would say absoultley! Musically, I don't see it.

I did answer your original question. Maybe someone else will find you a song to help you.

[Edited 5/11/20 15:26pm]

Mindbells9 said:

The version of "Let's Pretend We're Married" on the Purple Rain tour is an obvious example of Little Richard's influence on Prince.

OK. It does a little. Thank you.

I never got the Little Richard/Prince connection either, at least not musically. It reminds me of when every black guitar player is compared to Jimmy Hendrix as if, if you're a black artist your only influences can be other black artists.

macaylasdad said:

Am I the only who doesn't see the "Little Richard" influence on Prince?

Let's take looks/dress out of the equation. What Prince's music sounds anything like Little Richard's? I am sure Prince admired and respected him but if you were to say Prince was influenced by James Brown, I would say absoultley! Musically, I don't see it.

I understand what you are saying on the music itself. But, what I think lots of people are focusing on is the "showmanship" on stage, his presence. I do think as others, that there is alot of James Brown in that arena. In a live video of him and The Revolution filmed at Andover, Maryland on "Baby I'm a Star" I personally can see the L.R. in him. It is towards the end of the performance, he is shirtless with his lace britches on, at the piano, and man he is really pounding those keys. Take a look at it, tell me what you see there. It is an 80's performance, during the Purple Rain Era. To me, everyone sees different things....kinda like when a group of you go on vacation together, and everyone remembers something different about it!

Wow, look at these tall waisted pants! Looks like P!

purplethunder3121 said:

"The Girl Can't Help It" was on my January playlist.

macaylasdad said:

can you provide me a Prince song where he does that? Thanks in advance.

Let's go crazy. Delirious.

Actually a lot of Purple Rain, if you stop and really think about it, even the keys in When Doves Cry.

Then you have to factor everyone else Prince referenced who were inspired by Little Richard to begin with. Plus Hendrix played for Little Richard at one point.

kindofblue said:

looby said:

I used to laugh when Little Richard used to say that he did it all before Prince, and how Prince was the one who copied him, mainly because of the way he expressed it, but boy was he telling the truth! I guess I never realized it because Little Richard was ahead of my time, and I never really looked into his career, but I'm telling you, seeing some of the pics that you guys are posting, I can definitely see Prince in them, from the pancake makeup, hair, thin mustache, dress, and even body shape, I see Prince in many of them!

See: https://www.facebook.com/...ted_videos

Wow, thank you for that......hilarious! Reminds me so much of Prince!

mynameisnotsusan said:

Apart from the peacock-prettiness to me the similarity is in the ecstatic quality that they could bring to their voices - the AOWAAH! and the WOOOO!

He did well to make it to 87 - so many don't

Interesting article from the NYT with a provocative title No Prince Without the KIng.

https://www.nytimes.com/2...e=Homepage

[Edited 5/12/20 5:34am]

Little Steven Remembers Little Richard: ‘He Wrote the Bible of Rock & Roll’

“I feel lucky to have been on the planet at the same time as Little Richard,” says Steve Van Zandt

Little Richard Reflects on the Dawn of Rock & Roll, Influencing the Beatles and Stones

“I don’t think I ever got what I really deserved,” the icon said in 2004

Little Richard(whom I first met speeding down a very popular street in LA he had to be going over 100 mph the only way i caught up I was riding with his cousin and a light caught him) I had the pleasure of also later working with him in a Taco Bell commercial. Richard lived a full life. I also worked in the Robert Townsend directed Little Richard Story Portrayed by actor Leon.

jdcxc said:

mynameisnotsusan said:

Apart from the peacock-prettiness to me the similarity is in the ecstatic quality that they could bring to their voices - the AOWAAH! and the WOOOO! He did well to make it to 87 - so many don't

Well put. The New Orleansesque piano runs of the Jam of the Year tour (also see Delirious on Vibe TV video) always reminded me of Little Richard. Also, Prince was one of the first to stand during Richard’s famous Grammy speech.

I can hear that. Jam of the Year the song reminds me a little of Here Come the Girls with the Toussaint runs too.

Free2BMe said:

Just wanted to bring up the fact that this man was never given the credit that he was due. I also remember Little Richard saying how he wasn’t paid what he deserved for his recordings. He also lost the publishing rights to all his music.

Michael Jackson bought those rights back and GAVE them to Little Richard because he was such a fan of his. It has been said Little Richard is worth $40 million. Before MJ gave L.R. his publishing rights, he was basically broke. Just a little info for those that don’t know or those that know and not acknowledging this history.

I didn't know all that, thank you.