Rock and roll pioneer Little Richard died on Saturday, May 9, 2020 in Nashville after years of battling bone cancer. He was 87 years old.

From his flamboyant clothing to his exuberant style of play, Little Richard was one of the architects of rock and roll. The trailblazer helped lay the foundation for the genre with his mid-’50s hits like “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally,” “Slippin & Slidin,” and “Jenny, Jenny.” The songs have romance, with some young adult angst and lots of energy. As a piano player he helped bring the instrument into rock with aggressive play and energy. His lyrics were unabashedly focused on the heat of desire that would define rock and roll for decades.

Little Richard was born Richard Wayne Penniman in 1932. Growing up in Macon, Georgia, he became enamored with music of the southeast where he developed his piano playing, inspired by jazz and the blues.

He left his home during his teens and secured a deal with Specialty Records in 1955 and had his breakout hit with “Tutti Frutti,” which became a Top 20 pop single. Over two years, he got 13 Top 10 R&B hits, 6 of which were also on the Top 20 pop charts.

In 1957 he abruptly quit playing secular music and devoted himself to prayer and studying to be a minister. When he returned in ’62, he was already seen as an important figure in rock and roll who would inspire some of the biggest acts in the genre. He took the Rolling Stones on tour, had the Beatles as an opening act, and had Jimi Hendrix in his band.

Little Richard’s approach to music wasn’t the only thing that influenced other musicians. His flamboyant style and exploration of gender norms would inspire other entertainers like Mick Jagger, Elton John, Prince, and David Bowie.

He would go on to release secular rock and religious music over the next several decades. In the ’80s he started performing his hits from the ’50s on tours. Little Richard continued touring through the early 2010s and retired from touring when he was 80. During the early ’90s he had one of his biggest late career hits with the children’s album Shake it All About.

In 1986 he was chosen as one of the earliest inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He received a lifetime achievement award from the Grammys in ’93 and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.