(WJW) — Rock and Roll legend Little Richard has passed away at 87, according to Rolling Stone.
His son, Danny Penniman, confirmed the news to the magazine Saturday morning.
Little Richard was born on December 5, 1932 in Macon, Georgia and rose to fame in the 1950s.
He had several top 10 hits throughout his career including “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Rip It Up” in 1956, “Lucille” in 1957, and “Good Golly Miss Molly” in 1958.
With a background in rhythm and blues, gospel training and church-sponsored piano lesson, Little Richard brought a unique sound to rock music that inspired musicians for decades.
His style heavily influenced music as several artists have covered his songs over the years; The Beatles even recorded some of them.
Although he never won a competitive Grammy, he did receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993, one year after releasing his final studio album.
He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.