Ava DuVernay says Little Richard tipped her $100 a week when she was a waitress in Los Angeles

Director shared her memory of the late pioneer's generosity while she was a student

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay has revealed how the late rock and roll pioneer Little Richard used to leave her a generous tip while she was working as a waitress in Los Angeles.

The director, who studied for a double major in English Literature and African-American Studies at the University of California, shared the memory on Twitter after news broke that Little Richard had died aged 87.

“I served soul food brunch to Little Richard every Sunday for a year while waitressing at Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch in LA,” DuVernay tweeted.

“I was a college student. He tipped me a crisp $100 bill each week on a $75 breakfast with friends. This was 30 years ago. Helped me so much. God rest his soul.”

Little Richard, who became a star in the Fifties thanks to hits such as “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally”, was hailed as a founding father of rock and roll, and influenced a generation of artists that includes The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie.

Among those to pay tribute were Elvis Costello, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Bob Dylan.

Dylan tweeted a poignant tribute that called Richard his “shining star and guiding light”.

“His was the original spirit that moved me to do everything I would do,” he wrote.

Read The Independent's tribute to Little Richard by music critic Mark Beaumont here.