Little Richard was once known as one of the pillars of the music industry thanks to his undeniable talent and contribution to inspire younger generations. However, there was a moment in his career where he used a different person to perform on stage whenever he couldn't make it to a show; could this be true?
According to Page Six, the legendary musician is the latest topic of a documentary titled "Little Richard: I Am Everything" by filmmaker Lisa Cortes.
The film was shown at Martha's Vineyard Film Festival and during the Q&A portion with Henry Louis Gates, there was a big revelation that unfolded which many fans didn't know about the singer.
Cortes told attendees that there was time when Little Richard would get so busy with his gigs to the point that he didn't have any time to perform at his own shows anymore.
That's why he sought help from another musician who could fill-in and perform as if he was the singer himself.
"He had no time to fulfill all his gigs, so his protege James Brown would dress up like him and take his gigs," the filmmaker said.
'Little Richard: I Am Everything'
The documentary by Cortes aims to tell the story of the Black queer origins of rock n' roll as Little Richard was the originator of the genre.
The filmmaker said in an interview with Deadline that she made the film because the story of the late singer was the story of rock n' roll itself and the genre is the "American idiom."
There will be another screening this August 10, 2023, Thursday, and CBS News' Michelle Miller will be expected to moderate the Q&A part of the program.
For those who are interested in watching the documentary, it wil be available to watch via CNN this September 4, 2023.
What Happened to Little Richard?
Little Richard, whose real name is Richard Wayne Penniman, broke barriers and defied gender norms during his prime years.
He was popularly known for his flamboyant outfits and gender-bending persona even though the public was strict with heteronormativity at the time.
According to Rolling Stone, the musical legend passed away at the age of 87 in 2020. His cause of death was determined to be bone cancer, as confirmed by his lawyer, Bill Sobel.
