Little Richard Documentary celebrates the talent — and mystery — of a legend

https://www.npr.org/2023/06/02/ [login to see] /little-richard-documentary-review-pbs-american-masters
In 1956, Elvis Presley exploded onto the music scene, changing music history. One of the songs on Presley's introductory album was his rendition of "Tutti Frutti," a song released the previous year by singer, musician and composer Richard Penniman, famously known as Little Richard.

It wasn't Little Richard's only quickly covered song. In 1956, Little Richard followed up "Tutti Frutti" with "Long Tall Sally"; in 1957, with "Lucille"; and, in 1958, with "Good Golly, Miss Molly" — but by then, Little Richard had walked away from rock 'n' roll.

As we learn in the new PBS American Masters documentary, Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, Little Richard came from a tradition of gospel music, which he returned to after quitting rock 'n' roll in the late '50s. But he also played R&B, and what became rock 'n' roll, and he never let himself be defined for long by any one musical category — or, in his private life, by any one sexual identity.