and then come into our generation you know people like elton john prince david bowie they were absolutely fascinated by him and. again it was this mixture of the image that became ever more important you know when pop music got televised and things got more of you know a big stages and everything and you know the make of the gender bending the all the old tried to take part of his act and incorporate in their own because it's so hugely inspired by and the also amazing thing about him is his wide appeal i mean back in the 1950 s. there was still racial segregation in the united states and little richard had fans who were white who were black i mean in many ways his music brought people together absolutely i mean basically i mean this is what we've been said of music so often that it's bridged racial divides you know it's been able to you know where there's a racial divide they still want to come together listen to good music and that's move mountains totally and music legend who will always be remembered indeed warner poland always great to talk to you thank you so much. and that's the lat

an ambition to join little richard you know then going on to kind of more my generation elton john prince david bowie they were all hugely influenced by him and also also because rock and roll was changing was coming more visual the emergence of m.t.v. and they all cut little bits of his image you know they got the gender bending the make a and. integrated that in their own acts and were just hugely inspired by them and an absolute trailblazer want to poland thank you so much. and we have just about time that's it for the news i'll be back in 45 minutes with more. on. this state of emergency is that normal people around. world are documenting these dramatic times. they're keeping the coronas diary and welcoming us into their lives they let us get as a close and personal as the pandemic will allow. the diaries starts matey.

. ♪ >> reporter: prince, elton john, david bowie and many more all grateful inheritors of his joyful was the biggest inspiration of my early teens, said mick jagger. we are so lucky to have had him, tweeted michelle obama. seeing him live was the most exciting event in my life at that time, elton john. little richard is true king, declared questlove. and a celebration of his 50th birthday in 1992, even the greatest, muhammad ali paying tribute. >> i'll say it again, honey. the king, thank you. >> reporter: he'd be in the first class elected to the rock and roll hall of fame. early in his career, white singers stole his thunder by doing tame covers of his songs, and he had been overlooked, or worse, by the music establishment as he reminded the grammys in 1988. >> y'all never gave me any grammys. >> reporter: in his latter years, he would become universally beloved. and with "gma's" spencer christian in 1995, testifying on his own behalf. >> i'm an architect. >> reporter: little richard died of cancer saturday at the age of 87, but the sheer excitement his music always generates will