the little richard story

I drove down to Ridge Farm Recording Studio in Guildford, Surrey in October of 1985 to photograph Little Richard, who was recording his Lifetime Friend album with producer Stuart Coleman.

Rebecca came to assist. As had The Queen of Rock and Roll a few months earlier,  The Architect of Rock and Roll - an exuberant bubbling cauldron of love and happiness - took a shine to her. He asked her if we were married. She said no, worst luck. He said if we got married he would marry us (he was a preacher, after all). I proposed later that year, and after we eventually got married in London in July 1989, we came to the U.S. for our honeymoon. I tried really hard to find Little Richard to marry us (again!), but sadly, I failed. Imagine being married by Little Richard! As a backup plan we tried to find an Elvis impersonator/wedding chapel in Las Vegas, but eventually, we had to settle for our Stateside vows at The Little White Chapel, where a tall man wearing Ray-Bans performed the short ceremony. I was a little put off by the shades. For a wedding? After we finished, I went over and proffered my hand, but he ignored it.

He was blind.