Little Richard children: Meet adopted son Danny Jones Penniman

Richard Wayne Penniman was born in Macon, Georgia, on December 5, 1932, as the third of twelve children to Leva Mae and Charles Penniman. His father was a church deacon and a brick mason who also ran the Tip In Inn nightclub and sold bootlegged moonshine on the side.

His mother was a member of Macon’s New Hope Baptist Church. His given name was supposed to be “Ricardo,” but a typo resulted in “Richard.” Because of his small and skinny frame, his family nicknamed him “Lil’ Richard” as a child.

Little Richard children: Meet adopted son Danny Jones Penniman

Little Richard declared himself to be gay, bisexual, and even “omnisexual.” He was, however, briefly married to a woman.

He married Ernestine Harvin, a secretary from Washington, D.C., on July 11, 1959, but in 1961, they divorced.

Danny Jones Penniman was adopted by his wife Ernestine during their marriage. Danny Jones and Little Richard remained close over the years.

Richard became involved with Audrey Robinson, a sixteen-year-old college student from Savannah, Georgia, around 1956.

Despite Robinson’s dislike of rock and roll music, Richard and Robinson quickly became friends.

In his 1984 autobiography, Richard stated that he invited other men, including Buddy Holly, to have sexual encounters with her but Robinson later denied making those claims.

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