James Brown called him his idol. Mick Jagger called him the king, Elvis Presley called him the greatest. Otis Redding called him his inspiration. Muhammad Ali called him his favorite singer. Jimi Hendrix said he wanted to do with his guitar what Little Richard did with his voice. And they all agreed on one thing: Little Richard, more than anyone else, personified the energy of rock n roll. Decked out in a mirrored suit, his hair pampadour, his face covered in pancake makeup, and his ferocious eyes mesmerized the crowd, he stomped, jumped, and screamed his way to the top of the charts with songs like "Rip It Up," "Long Tall Sally," "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Tutti Frutti," and "Slippin' and Slidin'."Here is the authorized biography of this legendary king of rock n roll, now fully updated to include his recent comeback, and including a complete discography and sessionography. Written largely in Richard's own words, but also including testimony from a star-studded cast of family, friends, and fellow musicians, this classic of rock literature tells all—his flamboyant stage antics; his blatant flaunting of racial taboos; his sexual experiences; his bewildering career that careened between show business and the church; and exactly how he created the music that would become a symbol of rebellion for kids all over the world.