But if you talk about the rise of rock in the 1950s and the vocal delivery of its pioneers, in my book Little Richard stands apart.
Though “Liar” may also owe a debt to “Puss ‘N’ Boots” by the New York Dolls (another influential band), glam rockers like the Dolls must, in turn, acknowledge the debt they owe to Little Richard.
Directly preceding the blunt force of punk rock was the androgyny and sexual ambiguity of the glam rock scene, and Little Richard stands as one of its patron saints.
A true showman, Little Richard opened the door for the glamorous side of rock and roll to come out and strut its stuff, and his list of disciples includes Lou Reed, T. Rex, Kiss and Prince, to name a scant few.
And while he knew his way around a gospel tune better than most people — the legendary Mahalia Jackson herself would claim he sang it the way it should be sung — Little Richard found he couldn’t turn his back on rock forever.
