Dorothy LaBostrie facts for kids

Dorothy LaBostrie (born May 28, 1928 – died November 4, 2007), later known as Dorothy LaBostrie Black, was an American songwriter. She is best known for helping to write the famous 1955 song "Tutti Frutti". This song was a huge hit for Little Richard and became a defining song of rock and roll.

Dorothy LaBostrie's Early Life and Music

Dorothy LaBostrie was born in Rayland, Kentucky. Her parents were Amos and Orelia C. LaBostrie. She grew up in Mobile, Alabama. In 1951, she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. She wanted to find her Creole relatives there.

Starting Her Songwriting Journey

Dorothy first worked as a cook and waitress. She also enjoyed writing poems. Soon, she started visiting the jazz and blues clubs on Rampart Street. This helped her get closer to the music scene.

In September 1955, a record producer named Bumps Blackwell contacted her. He worked for Specialty Records. He needed someone to change the lyrics of a song Little Richard was performing. The original song had words that were not suitable for everyone.

Dorothy went to Cosimo Matassa's studio. Little Richard was recording there. She quickly rewrote the song's words in about 15 minutes. This song became "Tutti Frutti". It is now seen as one of the most important songs in rock and roll history. Many artists have recorded it since then.

The Story Behind "Tutti Frutti"

Dorothy LaBostrie was given credit as a co-writer of "Tutti Frutti" along with Little Richard (Penniman). However, she later said that she wrote the entire song herself. She even laughed at Little Richard's claim that he wrote it alone. She said, "Little Richard didn't write none of 'Tutti Frutti'."

Even in the 1980s, she was still receiving money from the song. She got about $5,000 every three to six months. This shows how popular "Tutti Frutti" remained over the years.

Other Successful Songs

Also in 1955, Dorothy wrote another song for Specialty Records. It was called "Rich Woman". She co-wrote it with McKinley "Li'l" Millet, who also performed it. This song was not a big hit at first.

However, "Rich Woman" later became very popular. Bands like Canned Heat recorded it. Most famously, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss recorded it. Their version won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2009.

Dorothy later worked as a songwriter for Joe Ruffino. He owned the local record labels Ric and Ron. In 1958, she wrote the song "I Won't Cry". She convinced Ruffino to let her neighbor, Johnny Adams, record it. The record was produced by a teenager named Mac Rebennack. It became a local hit and helped start Adams' successful music career.

She also wrote the first record for Irma Thomas. This song was called "(You Can Have My Husband But Please) Don't Mess With My Man". It reached the national R&B chart in 1960. Her work with Ruffino later had problems over payments for her songs. She then signed a contract with Matassa's White Cliffs publishing company. She reportedly wrote hundreds of songs there. But none of them became as successful as her earlier hits.

Later Life and Passing

At some point, Dorothy married Clyde Black. They had two daughters together. In 1970, she was in a road accident and was injured. After this, she moved to New York and stopped working in the music business.

In the 1980s, reports said she was living a quiet life. She continued to receive regular payments from the lasting popularity of "Tutti Frutti".

Dorothy LaBostrie Black passed away on November 4, 2007. She was 79 years old. She died while visiting friends in Atlanta, Georgia.