Connecticut is set to declare Sunday, April 23, 2023 as “Little Richard Day” in honor of the late performer’s “incomparable contributions to the history of music in America.” And no, the rock n’ roll icon doesn’t hail from the Nutmeg state. He was born in Georgia and lived in California, Tennessee and other ports of call until his death in 2020.
Rather, Gov. Ned Lamont is issuing the proclamation in recognition of the release this month of “Little Richard: I Am Everything” and Connecticut’s many ties to the production.
The film, which Magnolia bought out of the Sundance Film Festival, will premiere at the Bedford Playhouse, which is hosted by the Greenwich International Film Festival on April 23. It was produced by Greenwich International Film Festival board member Robert Friedman and produced and directed by Lisa Cortés, a Connecticut native and an alumna of Yale University.
Cortés’ film charts Little Richard’s rise to the top of the charts with hits like “Tutti Frutti,” “Good Golly, Miss Moll,” and “Long Tall Sally,” as well as his struggles with faith and sexuality.
“‘Little Richard: I Am Everything’ pays tribute to and tells the story of the Black queer origins of rock n’ roll through the lens of one of its most well-renowned and celebrated progenitors,” the proclamation reads. It goes on to say “perhaps as beloved as his music were Little Richard’s concerts, where his magnetic presence and flamboyant stage performances would draw crowds in the thousands and inspire countless future music legends including Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Mick Jagger, The Beatles and many more.”
“Little Richard: I Am Everything” will be released in theaters and on VOD this Friday.
