‘Little Richard: I Am Everything’ Traces the Roots of a Rock & Roll Innovator (Review)
You can say a lot of things about Little Richard, but you can't ever say that he was shy.
He spent decades telling anyone who would listen that he was the architect of rock and roll. And, of course, he truly was a pioneer but the extreme racism of the American South meant that his singles became even bigger hits when watered down by white artists like Pat Boone and Elvis.
Little Richard (Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures)
In her fantastic documentary, filmmaker Lisa Cortés attempts to correct the record. An opening night selection at this year's Sundance, 'Little Richard: I Am Everything' is an origin story with extreme admiration.
It also illustrates just how far ahead of his time that Little Richard was. He broke stereotypes, gender norms, and the lines of segregation.
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