Sir Paul McCartney: 'Little Richard taught me everything I know'

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief | 10 May 2020

Sir Paul McCartney pays tribute to Little Richard after the singer's death at the age of 87 on Saturday.

Sir Paul McCartney has paid tribute to Little Richard following the rock 'n' roll legend's death at the age of 87 on Saturday.

The 'Tutti Frutti' singer - the self-styled "king and queen of rock 'n' roll" - is credited with influencing a generation of performers, from The Beatles and the Rolling Stones to David Bowie and Sir Elton John.

Posting a photo of Richard with his Beatles bandmates on Instagram, McCartney wrote: "Little Richard came screaming into my life when I was a teenager. I owe a lot of what I do to Little Richard and his style; and he knew it. He would say, 'I taught Paul everything he knows'. I had to admit he was right."

He added: "A great man with a lovely sense of humour and someone who will be missed by the rock and roll community and many more. I thank him for all he taught me and the kindness he showed by letting me be his friend. Goodbye Richard and a-wop-bop-a-loo-bop."

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'From 'Tutti Frutti' to 'Long Tall Sally' to 'Good Golly, Miss Molly' to 'Lucille', Little Richard came screaming into my life when I was a teenager. I owe a lot of what I do to Little Richard and his style; and he knew it. He would say, "I taught Paul everything he knows". I had to admit he was right. In the early days of The Beatles we played with Richard in Hamburg and got to know him. He would let us hang out in his dressing room and we were witness to his pre-show rituals, with his head under a towel over a bowl of steaming hot water he would suddenly lift his head up to the mirror and say, "I can't help it cos I'm so beautiful". And he was. A great man with a lovely sense of humour and someone who will be missed by the rock and roll community and many more. I thank him for all he taught me and the kindness he showed by letting me be his friend. Goodbye Richard and a-wop-bop-a-loo-bop.' - Paul McCartney #LittleRichard #PaulMcCartney

A post shared by Paul McCartney (@paulmccartney) on May 10, 2020 at 4:12am PDT