Willie (Piano Red) Perryman, Musician From Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Early Days, Dies at 73

Rock ‘n’ roll musician Willie (Piano Red) Perryman, who toured with Little Richard and whose fans included the Rolling Stones, has died of cancer at the age of 73.

Perryman, who died Thursday at a hospital, taught himself to play the piano and developed his singing and writing styles for blues and rock music in Atlanta honky-tonks.

Bill Lowery, president of Lowery Music Co. of Atlanta, credited Perryman with making the first rock ‘n’ roll record, “Rockin’ with Red,” for RCA Victor in 1950.

Perryman later recorded under the name “Dr. Feelgood” for Columbia Records. His other songs included “Red’s Boogie,” “Laying the Boogie” and “Right String, Baby, but the Wrong Yo-Yo.”

Toured With Little Richard

He toured with Little Richard and performed in Europe. Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman introduced himself to Perryman at a festival in Switzerland and told him he had been collecting Perryman’s records for years.

Perryman’s recording successes led to a live radio show in Atlanta and a nightclub act, “Dr. Feelgood and the Interns,” which toured the college circuit in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Surviving are a son, two daughters, two adopted children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.