Little Richard

In the first car ride, he is waxing poetic about Johnny Cash and Little Richard, and it makes Pete a little uncomfortable because he’s a purist.

But as he articulated to me, as much as he worshiped Woody Guthrie, and other folk singers, he also worshipped Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash and Hank Williams and Little Richard, and a myriad of others.

As he grew into his creative identity, John picked up the piano with ease, writing both moving melodies and the kind of collar-grabbing compositions that were more in line with Little Richard, another one of John’s noted idols.

Little Richard laid the foundation for rock ‘n’ roll.

The portrait of Franklin that emerges is of a boy who likes baseball and outer space, is good with his hands and listens to Stevie Wonder, Little Richard, James Brown and John Coltrane.