Little Richard ‘the Master Blaster, the Innovator, the Black Angel of Soul’ burst onto the music scene and revolutionised the sound in the transition phase in the mid 1950s as Pluto was leaving Leo to move into Virgo. In three short years between 1955 and 1958 his world changing hits – Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally, Lucille and Good Golly, Miss Molly – made him the influencer par excellence for Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, Elton John etc.
He has just died aged 87 of bone cancer five Pluto cycles after his only top ten hits. Born 5 December 1932 2.50pm (unverified) in Macon, Georgia, the son of a bootlegger, he was trained as a boy to sell snake oil in a Travelling Medicine Show. Neil McCormick writes: “He was raised singing gospel and incorporated the shrieks and ululations of religious ecstasy to a souped-up Rhythm & Blues style, adapting the New Orleans Boogie Woogie piano stride of Fats Domino. The songs he wrote and recorded in that first burst of fame were raunchy and rude, drawing on his own sexual voraciousness and confusion. He was black, he was camp, and he was in many ways a tortured soul.”
His anguish about the conflict between his religious beliefs and his bisexuality and homosexuality drove him to drink and drugs and effectively sabotaged his best-selling career after his early starburst. Though he continued working throughout his life.
His egocentric Sagittarius Sun and Mercury were on the point of a T Square to a showbizzy, publicity-attracting Mars Neptune in Virgo opposition North Node in musical Pisces. His Sun was also in an expansive square to Jupiter; with his Moon in Pisces. Colourful, scattered, exuberant, not short of self-confidence despite his inner turmoil. He had a Fire Earth chart so was blessed with a tankful of energy and high spirits.
His leaving-a-legacy 17th Harmonic was marked; as was his superstar 22H.
He was my favorite among inventors of rock ‘n roll, for sure, probably because there was such a “bluesy” raw qualitity to his singing, and I’ve always loved that sound. Very different even from most of the successful black artists in the 1950’s. It was only with James Brown and Otis Redding this became more mainstream sound.
Sun/Mercury in Sadgittarius trine Uranus in Aries just shined through in his public persona, too. Although it is said many straight black male artists adapted “gay” looks to get gigs at white clubs in South – apparently, they were less threatening to male audience that way. But Little Richard clearly enjoyed that persona. Also, for all his extravagant behavior, his Virgo Mars was present – he was a hard worker, and fired young Jimi Hendrixx from his band for lack of work ethic.
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Little Richard’s musical legacy is already immortal.
Although his chart tenure was relatively brief, he was hugely influential.
Check out the film “The Girl Can’t Help It” which captures him at his outrageous best.
A force of nature, and a fizzing, crackling original. And what barriers and taboos he faced back then, as a gay black man in the USA. Little Richard was an electrifying presence – so I’m curious to see Uranus close to his ascendant, trine the Sun.
In light of a previous post about Demi Moore, it’s intriguing to see she’s posted a wedding day photo of herself and Bruce Willis – with Little Richard in his role as a minister, officiating at their 1987 wedding…..He was ordained in 1970.
RIP Little Richard, although it is hard to imagine such a vibrant soul resting peacefully for long!