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event venue on Lower Elm Street. Triangle Arts welcomes visitors to check out the mural in person. "Little Richard seemed to have always been able to power through whatever obstacles and social norms he faced with a great deal of persistence," said Ric Geyer, founder of Triangle Arts. "His lesson is a great lesson for all times, but maybe especially for this time." Brad and Meagan Evans, owners of the Society Garden, reached out to the community for fundraising help on May 12, just a few days after Little Richard's death. eir plan: to have renowned graffiti artist JEKS memorialize Little Richard with one of his hyper-realistic outsized portraits on the side of the two-story brick wall visible as you drive down Ingleside. "When the world is okay with having parties again, Macon's Architect of Rock 'n' Roll will welcome you back with open arms," wrote Brad Evans. Macon opened their arms – and wallets – right Peach Season is Finally Here! back, fully funding this project within 24 hours. e recently completed mural is stunning, a triumvirate of the superstar's iconic looks through the years. Despite his vocal appreciation for his hometown, Little Richard was not buried in Macon, a fact that breaks many music lovers' hearts. Instead, he was laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery, a property of Oakwood University, the historically black Seventh- Day Adventist university that was Richard's alma mater. We're sad, but grateful to have so many mementoes of him here in Macon still, and doubly grateful that our city was always on his mind. " You can't do without love. Without love, I ain't had nothing. e secret of everything is love." Little Richard was a genius of many things, one being self- love. His public boasts were a joy to witness – a manic burst of captivating, half-rhyming patter, a barrage of nicknames and accolades he'd bestowed upon himself, then a wild-eyed, bemused stare as he gathered his audience in the palm of his hand and deployed one of his catchphrases: "I'm not conceited, I'm convinced!" en he'd howl with laughter, absolutely owning every moment of air time he was given. If any other human behaved this way, it would be abhorrent. When Little Richard did it, it was beautiful. rough his self-mythologizing, Little Richard shaped the way we viewed him. He grew up in an era when the world wanted nothing more than to extinguish his joy and self-esteem, but he refused to let that happen. He ensured his legacy would live on by creating a body of work so groundbreaking that its influence is almost immeasurable, and by proclaiming that legacy at every possible moment, never letting anyone take credit for what was rightfully his. And the fact that Macon was on his lips every time he spoke is his gift to us. We're the origin story, we're part of his great mythology, and by including us he encourages us to be our best, most authentic selves. He lifts us up alongside him to such miraculous, unlikely heights. 40 maconmagazine.com | JUNE/JULY 2020