For today's SoundTRAX I want to pay tribute to "The Architect of Rock and Roll"β Richard Penniman. Okay, you knew him as Little Richard.
The great Little Richard died three years ago today at the age of 87, and we could spend all day discussing his influence, his showmanship, his bravado.
But this is a segment about movie soundtracks, and not only did he have a memorable role as (seriously) "Orvis Goodnight" in 1986's Down and Out in Beverly Hills alongside Richard Dreyfuss, Bette Midler and Nick Nolte, he made a significant contribution to the film's music.
In addition to the 1955 Little Richard classic "Tutti Frutti," he and Billy Preston wrote an original tune for the soundtrack.
(And on an unrelated but interesting note: Andy Summers of The Police did the score.)
But in memory of the great Little Richard, today's SoundTRAX selection is that original tune he wrote with Billy Preston.
From Down and Out in Beverly Hills, it's Little Richard with "Great Gosh A'Mighty."
