Remembering a rock icon Little Richard

Regarding “Little Richard upped the voltage of rock ’n’ roll,” (A1, May 10): Like many, I am thinking of the passing of Little Richard and the healing power of music in these strange and difficult days. Little Richard’s inspirations and influences are superbly documented in a story that rightly merited page A1. Of the original class of inductees in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, only Jerry Lee Lewis and Don Everly now remain. As with the World War II veterans honored last week on V-E Day, we are witnessing a veritable twilight of the gods.

The songs endure. Little Richard’s falsetto whoop will forever resound in the “House of Blue Lights” populated by Molly, Sally and Sue. He was a founder of this glorious art form our country gave the world — rock ’n’ roll. And that is rightly a source of patriotic pride. A wop bop alubop, a wop-bam boom! Stephen Davis, Houston

As I read the story about the death of an icon of rock ’n’ roll, I was taken back to my high school days in the segregated South in Huntsville, Ala., Little Richard had enrolled at Oakwood College to become a preacher but like many of us he needed a part-time job and was hired as the early morning DJ at a local black radio station with the call letters WEUP. Instantly, Little Richard’s 6 a.m. sign on became the wakeup call for every young person in the area. His iconic high pitched sign on, “We Up, Is You” became famous and woke up a new generation of music fans. Little Richard was cool and had us with no prodding from our parents! RIP, my friend. Bill Turney, Houston

“Good Golly, Miss Molly!” Now that Little Richard has entered the pearly gates of heaven, there’s going to be a “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater, Fla.

Contact tracers

Regarding “New UH program to train contact tracers,” (May 11, A3): With several articles addressing the importance of contact tracing in limiting the spread of COVID-19, I’m suggesting something we can all do to aid in these efforts. A simple act of jotting down our daily activities such as a trip to or from the grocery store, curbside/delivery restaurant order or just “stayed home all day” might be helpful if this information were needed. Cindy Bartos, Houston

Katherine Anne Porter

Regarding “Texas author’s survival of 1918 flu mirrors today,” (A15, May 10): Many thanks to Richard Parker for his beautiful tribute to author Katherine Ann Porter. He opened a window for me into the life and accomplishments of this wonderful, talented and wise author.

Her survival of the deadly Spanish flu of 1918 and her observations regarding the later community lack of response and disregard for those who died or barely survived the flu with all the emotional scars from crushing death and fear is a sad commentary on human empathy.

And to paraphrase Parker, why is our national flag not flying at half-staff in this most horrible time of loss and death in 2020? Lee Avery, Spring