MACON, Ga. — Little Richard exploded onto the music scene with his rock and roll, polarizing stage presence and of course his larger than life appearance.
He's known as the architect of rock n' roll. Now, the Macon legend's life is the centerpiece of a documentary film that's expected to be released very soon.
"Richard paved the road for many, many artists, whether it's the Beatles, Rolling Stones, James Brown," Little Richard's cousin Stanley B. Stewart said.
Stewart says Richard loved his hometown Macon and he wants his cousins legacy to go on to inspire others.
"In his Richard way of saying it he said 'well baby, we're the past you guys gave to keep things going,'" Stewart said.
The Tutti Frutti singer lives on in classic film and TV cameos whether it was "Baywatch," "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" or even the animated series "The Simpson's".
Now, Richard's legacy lives on in his own way through a documentary film about his life.
"The movie "I Am Everything", a portion of it was filmed here in Macon. I am glad to be apart of that. Lisa Cortes in conjunction with Rolling Stone Magazine did a great job with the movie. It did great during Sundance and it's set to be released nationwide and worldwide," Stewart said.
The film highlights Little Richard's roll as a revolutionary performer torn between religion and rock 'n roll, in an era where his sexuality and race made the world even more complex for him to navigate.
"It encapsulates his entire life. It really talks about who he was as a person during his lifetime," Stewart said.