For music fans, the film is a poignant reminder of just how good Little Richard was as a performer and singer, especially in the 1950s and '60s. Performing on the "chitlin' circuit" of Black-centered clubs through the South, he worked early shows singing in drag, later learning his performing style and piano playing from other Black gay performers at the time like Billy Wright and Esquerita. At those times, Little Richard seemed to believe his performances encouraged the devil; but his Baby Boomer fans and fellow musicians saw them as liberation and inspiration.