Guesting on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, Scorpions singer Klaus Meine spoke about the influence of Little Richard, who died May 9 at the age of 87.

Meine stated: "With my first band, even before the Scorpions, The Mushrooms, we had 'Long Tall Sally' in our set. And when we went to Tokyo to record Tokyo Tapes, to record our very first live album in Japan, I thought it would be so cool to play that song, because it was such a great, great rocker, with such amazing grace and the way he sings it. It was a fun song and really something very special. Little Richard passed away; it's so sad to see him go, but the footprint he left on planet Earth is amazing, because he inspired The Beatles, he inspired so many artists that played his music. I think it's true when he described himself being the 'architect of rock and roll,' and that's so true; he's a very true rock and roll icon. And I'm proud that we covered one of his songs on Tokyo Tapes. And it's a sad day for rock and roll, but Little Richard's music will live on forever."

Little Richard, a founding father of rock and roll whose fervent shrieks, flamboyant garb, and joyful, gender-bending persona embodied the spirit and sound of that new art form, died Saturday, May 9. He was 87. The musician’s son, Danny Penniman, confirmed the pioneer’s death to Rolling Stone, but said the cause of death was unknown.

Starting with “Tutti Frutti” in 1956, Little Richard cut a series of unstoppable hits – “Long Tall Sally” and “Rip It Up” that same year, “Lucille” in 1957, and “Good Golly Miss Molly” in 1958 – driven by his simple, pumping piano, gospel-influenced vocal exclamations and sexually charged (often gibberish) lyrics.

Little Richard received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993, one year after releasing his final studio album. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1986, and officially stopped performing in 2013.

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