Columnist Joe Delaney: Could Butera have scored with Little Richard hit?

Joe Delaney

Friday, July 23, 1999 | 9:08 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him 259-4066 or joe@ vegas.com

Little Richard, born Richard Penniman in Macon, Ga., also birthplace for the late Otis Redding and Soul Man James Brown, was a seminal figure and one of the most influential as rhythm and blues was becoming rock 'n' roll. ... Little Richard is co-starring with another legend, Chuck Berry, at Caesars Palace through Sunday. ... In 1956, at age 23, Richard had five single releases, all near the top of the Top 50 best-selling charts.

Four of those songs, "Tutti Frutti," "Rip It Up," "Ready Teddy" and "Long Tall Sally," later became singles for Elvis Presley. ... When Elvis would gasp, gulp and swallow his words while swiveling his hips he was doing Little Richard. ... Jerry Lee Lewis' antics at the piano were direct copies of the original, as was "Great Balls of Fire."

Pat Boone's "white bread" copy of Richard's first hit, "Tutti Frutti," launched Boone's career on the Dot label and actually out-sold the original. ... There were many other copiers of note.

Just a few more

Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane, the late Bill Haley and the Rolling Stones all are indebted to Little Richard. ... They grew up with him and recorded his songs. ... Otis Redding and James Brown publicly admitted Richard's early influence on their work. ... Our personal Little Richard story starts in Atlanta, circa 1955.

En route from New York City to New Orleans, I stopped off in Atlanta at WAOK-AM to visit with Zenas Sears, the Southern equivalent of the late Alan Freed as a rock 'n' roll radio pioneer. ... Zenas had just received a dub, an advance copy on acetate, of "Tutti Frutti." ... I was taken with its raw emotionalism and the drive of this new artist.

Sears made a copy for me on audio tape and I took it to New Orleans, then brought Sam Butera and the original Witnesses into Cosmo's studio on South Rampart Street to record the song.

What happened

In addition to "Tutti Frutti," we recorded a pop standard, title forgotten, and a two-part rock-styled instrumental. ... Cadence was the record label and owner-producer Archie Bleyer's 14-year-old daughter was the "authority" on contemporary music. ... She rejected "Tutti Frutti" but did approve the instrumental. ... We entitled one side, "Going In" and the other, "Coming Out." ... It got Sam a shot on RCA Victor.

This was pre-Louis Prima and Keely Smith at the Sahara hotel. ... Successful recording dates on RCA's Groove label included "Easy Rocking," retitled "Chicken Scratch," with a lyric by James Komack, who later produced "Chico and the Man" and other sitcoms.

Butera is still a powerhouse performer as he enters his 70s. ... Suppose Sam's "Tutti Frutti" had been the hit? ... Would he have then joined Louis and Keely? ... Would Sam be living and working in Las Vegas today?

Acosta revisited

Tuesday evening we checked out the new additions to Bill Acosta's "Lasting Impressions" in the Luxor Live Theatre. ... Acosta had a goodly crowd for the 7:30 p.m. show. ... The four new dancers were an improvement over the six he had at the beginning of the run. ... Acosta has been extended well into 2000; the result is a more relaxed, assured performance.

Excellent tap dancer Jay Fagan is the featured act, a strong personality yet warm and ingratiating. ... He delineates the various dance stylings of Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Gregory Hines and Savion Glover, among others. ... His appearance and choreography strengthen the Benny Goodman "Sing, Sing, Sing" segment with the girl dancers.

Fagan's dancing also adds much to Acosta's fine depiction of Sammy Davis Jr. singing "Mr. Bojangles." ... Acosta is a master impressionist and vocalist in his own right. ... At $24.95 vs. $90 for Danny Gans at the Rio, plus a possible week or two advance sale only, Acosta's impressions become an even better bargain.

Jazz notes

Wednesdays through Saturdays try the Mike Breene Trio with Bob Badgley and Santo Savino (Santa Fe); and Joe Locatelli and his trio, Wednesdays through Sundays (Venetian). ... Joe Darro and Allyn Gamble play Tuesdays through Saturdays (Ruth's Chris West). ... Mike Beisner and Terry James are in the Chicago Bar's Cactus Club, Fridays and Saturdays, and at Ruth's Chris West on Sunday evenings.

Ernie George, drums; Tommy Ferguson, piano; Joe Lano, guitar; and Gus Mancuso, everything else, are at Anthony's on East Tropicana Fridays and Saturdays with Annie Francis on vocals. ... Support good jazz whenever and wherever.

P.S.: ... See our critique of Little Richard and Chuck Berry on page 3E. ... See you next Thursday.