My Memory of Little Richard at the 1999 Ottawa Bluesfest

I was saddened to hear of the passing of rock 'n roll pioneer Little Richard this morning. Richard Wayne Penniman succumbed to bone cancer at the age of 87. But he will rock on forever.

Between 1955 and 1958, Richard would write and record seminal verses of the rock 'n roll Bible - "Tutti Fruiti", "Long Tall Sally", "Slippin' and Slidin'", "Lucille" and "Good Golly Miss Molly". These songs would have a profound influence over The Beatles and too many other artists and bands to mention.

Generation Xers would get to know Little Richard during the mid-1980's when he appeared in the film Down and Out in Beverly Hills with Richard Dreyfuss, Nick Nolte and Bettle Midler. The film featured a song he co-wrote with Billy Preston called "Great Gosh A' Mighty" which became a modest hit. Little Richard won over a new generation of admirers as much by his sass as his music as demonstrated during the 1988 Grammys when he declared himself the winner in the Best New Artist category. Had anyone else taken Jody Watley's moment it would have been crass, but Little Richard could get away with it because he wasn't wrong.

Which brings me to the 1999 Ottawa Bluesfest. As it turned out it would be the last summer living in Canada. The Ottawa Bluesfest was being held at LeBreton Flats near the Ottawa River along the Ontario-Quebec border. Among that year's lineup was Eric Burdon, Richie Havens, Smokey Robinson, Booker T & The MGs, Gladys Knight (who had to bow out at the last minute to due to the passing of her son) and Little Richard.

What I remember about Little Richard's performance was his sass. He was not in a good mood. On several occasions during his set he stopped his performance and demanded the camera be taken off of him. Little Richard exclaimed, "You wouldn't do this to Mick or Keith." Nobody knew what he was talking about. Some people ended up leaving the event because of his repeated stoppages. Although his antics were a bit annoying I stayed because I figured this was the one and only time I would ever see him. Eventually the show carried on and perhaps to make up for his earlier antics he invited audience members to jump onstage and dance.

I later learned that Little Richard was angry because he had been subject to foreign withholding tax. As I have told people over the years if Little Richard thought the Canadian government wouldn't do that to Mick & Keith, they must surely would. The Canada Revenue Agency (or Revenue Canada as it was then known) is going to get its money. Little Richard might have been in the wrong in this instance, but given the problems he had obtaining royalties that were justly his one could understand why he reacted this way. Right or wrong, Little Richard's histrionics were not without their amusement and charm.

During an appearance in Cambridge, Massachusetts in November 2016, Robbie Robertson of The Band announced he was planning to make a documentary about the history of rock 'n roll featuring Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. At the time I wrote, "Robertson says the time is right to do such a show really, really well. Well, I think he better do it really, really fast."

Alas both Fats Domino and Chuck Berry died less than a year after Robertson's proclamation and now Little Richard has joined them. Jerry Lee Lewis is now the sole survivor and at 84-years old he isn't getting any younger. I can only hope that Robertson managed to make good on his word. If he didn't I think Little Richard will dress Robertson down when he gets to the pearly gates. R.I.P.