Today (December 5th) marks rock n’ roll pioneer Little Richard‘s 85th birthday. Richard rocketed to stardom in the mid-’50s, when his black eyeliner, bouffant hairdo, and flamboyant performances were hard to ignore. With innovative songs like “Tutti Frutti,” “Lucille,” and “Good Golly Miss Molly,” Little Richard, whose real name is Richard Penniman, earned his place in music history, and by 1968 he had sold an astonishing 32 million records worldwide.

On May 8th, 2015, Little Richard — along with Eric Clapton and Tommy Brown — was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis. The induction was held in conjunction with the 36th Annual Blues Music Awards on May 7th and the public Grand Opening of the bricks and mortar Blues Hall of Fame the following day.