The Rill Thing LP (signed)

Little Richard

Published by Reprise Records, Australia, 1970

About this Item

Signed copy of rock n roll pioneer Little Richard s 1970 album The Rill Thing (RS 6406). The signature on the front of the sleeve reads, "To you, with love, Little Richard." Released more than a decade after Little Richard burst onto the music scene with lively hits like "Tutti Frutti" and "Long Tall Sally," The Rill Thing is considered something of a comeback album for the artist. Recorded at Muscle Shoals in Alabama, The Rill Thing featured two charting tracks "Freedom Blues" and "Greenwood, Mississippi" as well as Beatles and Hank Williams covers and a whooping 10 minute 20 second funk jam recorded in a single take. "Freedom Blues" and "Dew Drop Inn" were cowritten by Esquerita, a lesser-known R&B singer, songwriter, and pianist who was the primary influence on Little Richard s music, performance style, and self-fashioning. Born Eskew Reeder, Jr., Esquerita was a self-taught pianist who began performing rock n roll music at local nightclubs in his late teens. His wild performances, which saw him wailing lyrics strewn with innuendo and pounding the piano keys, had a profound impact on Little Richard. In addition to making Esquerita s over-the-top performance style his own, Little Richard also adopted his signature pencil-thin mustache, caked on makeup, and pompadour hairdo. Like many early rock n roll pioneers whose contributions to the genre are still underrecognized, Esquerita was a gay African American. While he never had a chart-topping hit of his own, his influence on Little Richard and other R&B musicians secured his place in the history of American music. Esquerita died in 1986 of an AIDS-related illness. 12-in. vinyl record in sleeve, signed in blue pen in the hand of Little Richard; 12 x 12 in. Record and sleeve in used condition.

Seller Inventory # 7250

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Rill Thing LP (signed)
• Publisher: Reprise Records, Australia
• Publication Date: 1970
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)
• Seller catalogs:
  • Queer & Trans
  • Music
  • Vinyl & Cassettes