On Friday night October 10, 1980, Richard Penniman aka Little Richard was invited to preach in Paterson by the 7th Day Adventist Church St. on 38th street. Five hundred people turned out to hear Richard testify about Christ’s saving grace in his life. Disappointed he left Lucille and Miss Molley at home in Georgia; the audience heard him sing the gospel tune ‘There is a City.”

But Richard was not there to sing; he had another message in mind. He asked that the stage lights be turned off and the house lights be turned on so he could be closer to his audience. It was strange and paradoxical to see the ‘Georgia Peach’ in a three- piece suit with short hair—clean cut with a Bible in his hand. But thee he was singing and preaching the Word of God with the same intensity he brought to his music, denouncing rock an instrument of the devil.

He quoted Scripture, pulling no punches in his Fundamentalist approach to Christianity: no rock’ roll, no drinking, no smoking–just a clean life founded upon the Word of God. As evidence he offered his own life as testimony. The legendary King of rock ‘n roll–whose subjects included the early Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, and Billy Preston—was a drug addict, homosexual earning sometimes $10,000 an hour.

But incredible wealth meant nothing. The fame inflated his ego and made think he was superior to others. Before getting out of a limo, his driver would roll out a red carpet, with people kissing his hands as he passed. Snorting incredible amounts of cocaine, he’d find blood and flesh in his handkerchief after blowing his nose. Then the final shock: the death of his brother, at which he faced two choices: death or the saving grace of Christ.

Happily, he told his audience: “I used to be as homosexual, but God turned me into a man.” And he warned parents in the audience to watch over their kids, teaching them to be aware of sexual deviants: “I was young and didn’t know what was happening, and influenced by the wrong type of people.”

He had the audience rolling in the aisles regarding hypocritical preachers:” That man’s not filled with the Holy Spirit; he’s filled with something else. He’s drunk!” Still the entertainer, Richard entertained, and the audience loved it.

The man who once helped a young Paul Mc Carthy with his singing and young Jimi Hendrix with his music and rock ‘n roll apparel. “Who do you think taught Jimi about his head band thing?” he exclaimed. But Richard Had little good to say about rock’ n roll:

“I know all rock isn’t all bad. But sometimes the incessant beat drives you crazy’’ explained Richard. There are rock groups who worship the devil and drink blood and pray for inspiration to write songs which haunt listeners into buying them…did you know the devil can make you famous. But when my musical friends like Smokey Robinson or Gladys Knight call me up. I just want to tell them about Jesus.”

After Richard finished preaching, he invited the audience to come up and shake his hand. As many did so, I heard a woman say, “When is somebody going to kiss him?” And sure enough, a woman did.

I finally go to him, and we arranged for a midnight meeting at a Howard Johnson’s in Saddlebrook off Rt. 80.

When I got to the motel, I was told to wait in the lobby until Richard came down from his room. Pastor Hall and an old friend was there as well. We decided we’d have something to eat and sat down in the motel’s restaurant. As soon as we sat down, we could hear whispers about Little Richard’s presence. A waitress then came over and asked for four autographs, to which Richard was happy to comply.

Richard ordered eggs, sausage and bran and I was amazed by his good looks and vitality, indeed the “Georga Peach.” And even though he was older, he looked like a healthy, vibrant, thirty- year
old. “The Georgia Peach” indeed! After we settled down to our meals, I asked him what he’d like me to write about him. “I’d like you to tell them I love them and wish them well and that God has cleansed me
from my sins. The power of God is incredible, the Holy Spirit, inconceivable! And His mercy, wonderful!

Richard does not represent a denomination, but he is member and evangelist for The Remnant Church of Christ. “I think the most important thing is Jesus, he says, Black, White, Catholic, etc.
The most important thing is Jesus! If it wasn’t for Him, I’d be dead!
I went from rock ’n roll to the Rock of Ages!”

During his testimony, he recounted his fame, suffering to salvation—his fame had sickened him. The rock’ n roll trimmings became the road to his destruction; he had so much money he didn’t know what to do. Many times, he just pilled it into his car and drove off. He had all the world offers—fame, money, property, luxury, yet he was unhappy, miserable!

He was with the Beatles on an early Liverpool tour. Jimi Hendrix was his guitar player. He was asked to go on tour with the Beatles to Hamburg. Already famous at the time, when the Beatles were earning $60 a week. He recalls them as nice people then and now.

“Linda McCartney and I are good friends today,” says Richard. “And I just spoke to Paul the other day; he enjoys my music even today. Mick Jagger is a good friend too, as well as Billy Preston and James Brown. And Hendrix was one of the best musicians I have ever seen.
When I asked Richard what he thought about Bob Dylan’s conversion to Christ, he replied: “God is very gracious.”

When it comes to Richard’s future plans, he wants to lecture and preach at colleges so that he can warn students not to fall into the same bondages from which he has been freed. He has a new all-gospel record coming out but was unable to mention the label. He also mentioned a book of his is soon to be published.

At this point of our meal and conversation, the band in the adjoining dance room began playing “Lucille.” Richard’s ears perked up and he was pleased and tempted to the same time.

“They want you to go in there and sing,” said his friend as he ate his toast and drank his coffee.

“I’m not going to,” he replied with firm resolve.

“Ha! Doesn’t it seem like the closer you walk with the Lord, the more he tries to tempt and seduce you.”

“Word up!” said Pastor Hall. “True that.”

“I’m not going in there,” said Richard with solid determination. “I’m going to read my Bible and go to sleep. If Christ were to descend through the roof, I’d ascend up with him; I know it!”

As I stared at Richard’s joyful and happy face, I recalled something he had said about the Blues during his sermon that evening:” God doesn’t want you to be sad and blue; he wants you happy and full of life!”