Little Richard

Richard Wayne Peniman, who died May, 9, 2020, was one of the founders of rock-n-roll. His 1950s hits like “Tutti-Frutti” and “Good Golly, Miss Molly” transformed the musical landscape of the 20th century.

Little Richard was raised as an Seventh-Day Adventist, but he became caught up in the indulgences associated with the world of rock-n-roll. Richard had a complicated history in relating his sexuality to his faith, but he did later on come back to his spiritual roots, even serving as an evangelist, becoming an outspoken opponent of hedonism in the music industry.

In 1993, Richard took his Seventh-Day Adventist faith in a new direction briefly towards embracing Judaism.  Seventh-Day Adventists share Sabbath observance on the same day that Jews do, on Saturday. But he eventually returned to his Seventh-Day Adventist beginnings. In one of his last television appearances on the 3ABN television network, Little Richard describes his faith in Jesus.