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Start giftingAwop Bop Aloo Mop
Little Richard: A Life of Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll...and Religion
Narrator
Sean Crisden
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Length
5 hours 2 minutes
Language
English
As much music history as biography, Awop Bop Aloo Mop celebrates "Little" Richard Wayne Penniman, who burst onto the American scene in 1955 with his mega-hit "Tutti Frutti." Almost by himself, Little Richard wrote the anti-rules and poured the concrete for the foundation of a new musical art form he created. Alan Freed would call it "Rock & Roll." Dubbing himself "The Architect of Rock & Roll," Little Richard was known for his wild, flamboyant performances and outrageous costumes. He was one of the first artists to make the androgynous look popular, and his influence could be experienced in the music and performances of Mick Jagger, The Beatles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, James Brown, and David Bowie. But Little Richard also had demons he struggled with throughout his career—his complicated relationship with his sexual orientation, and its effect on his faith.
He helped solidify The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Preston, and The Beatles as major acts who used his onstage antics for their success. A terrible car crash sidelined Little Richard for months, causing him to miss his own induction into the first Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 for his contribution to music. But he later appeared in movies, television shows, and tours, showing everyone why he remains the "Originator, the Innovator, and the Architect of Rock & Roll."
Tina Andrews is an award-winning writer, producer, director, and visual artist. Her nonfiction book Sally Hemings: An American Scandal: The Struggle To Tell The Controversial True Story won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Achievement in Literary Nonfiction and the Literary Award of Excellence from the Memphis Writers Conference. The book chronicled her award-winning CBS miniseries, Sally Hemings: An American Scandal, which she wrote and co-executive produced. It was the highest rated, most watched miniseries of the season, garnering Andrews the Writers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Television Long Form, and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding TV Movie, Miniseries, or Special. The miniseries was based on her play which she directed, The Mistress of Monticello, which had its premiere at the Chicago Writers Workshop to critical acclaim. Additionally, her contribution to film and television led Andrews to be honored with the MIB/Prism Filmmaker Image Award, and a Proclamation from the City Council of New York. Miss Andrews was also writer and executive producer of the CBS miniseries Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and she wrote the Warner Bros. film Why Do Fools Fall In Love?, starring Halle Berry. She also wrote, produced, and directed the hugely popular Showtime animated series Sistas 'n the City; and she has an essay in the book The First Time I Got Paid For It: Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches. In addition, Miss Andrews has published essays in the Los Angeles Times Magazine, as well as Written By, Contents, and Creative Screenwriting magazines.
Sean Crisden is a multitalented actor and an AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrator who has recorded audiobooks in almost every genre, from science fiction to romance. He has also voiced characters in numerous video games, such as the award-winning ShadowGun, and appeared in many commercials and films, including The Last Airbender. A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sean now resides in Phoenix, Arizona.