Little Richard, a rock ’n’ roll trail blazer, whose flamboyant style was instantly recognizable and became a dominant musical influence for many artists—from Pat Boone to Prince—died May 9 at the age of 87.

According to his family, the cause was bone cancer. Born Richard Penniman on December 5, 1935, in Macon, Georgia, Little Richard continued to scream and pound the piano well into his 70s, surviving a heart attack, su...