I quickly go to the NYT and search the page for "Little Richard" — "Little Richard, Flamboyant Wild Man of Rock ’n’ Roll, Dies at 87/Delving deeply into the wellsprings of gospel music and the blues, and screaming as if for his very life, he created something new, thrilling and dangerous."
I'm so sad to see that. Here's my favorite Little Richard song:
Well, along about ten I'll be flying high/Rock on out unto the sky/'Cause I don't care if I spend my dough/Tonight I'm gonna be one happy soul...
Rock on out unto the sky, Richard... tonight and forever, one happy soul.
ADDED: Not that he was always happy!
AND: My son John has a long blog post, with lots of excerpts from the NYT obituary and clips of Little Richard.