12 Greatest Classic Rock Singers Of All Time

12. Little Richard

If you ask any rock artist who their favorite singer is, many will tell you that it all goes back to Little Richard. Along with being one of the first wild men of the genre, Little Richard made his vocal timbre the star of the show rather than an added extension.

Coming from Macon, Georgia in the 1950's, Richard Pennimen knew that he needed more than just a good voice to leave an impression on his audience. In addition to his more androgynous stage garb, fans were left shellshocked once he went to open his mouth. As opposed to the crooners of the day like Pat Boone and Frankie Avalon, Little Richard reached deep down to create a tone that sounded like he was shredding sandpaper every time he held out a note.

This kind of approach to music and showmanship left a huge impression on everyone from the Beatles to the Stones to even Motorhead. From the first few bars of "Tutti Frutti," rock and roll singers threw out the rulebook and started to experiment with their own primal form of musical expression. Once Little Richard first hollered into the microphone, a different kind of musical force was now at play.