Little Richard, flamboyant rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, dead at 87

Little Richard, one of the chief architects of rock ‘n’ roll, has died. He was 87. Pastor Bill Minson, a close friend of Little Richard’s, told The Associated Press that Little Richard died Saturday morning after battling bone cancer. Known for his piercing wail, pounding piano and towering pompadour, he irrevocably altered popular music while introducing black R&B to white America. His hits included “Long Tall Sally” and “Tutti Frutti.” The trailblazing rocker helped shatter the color line on the music charts, joining Chuck Berry and Fats Domino in bringing what was once called “race music” into the mainstream.