''K-tel Presents Little Richard Live! 20 Super Hits'' is

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the " ...

's first album of new material since 1974, and the first album he had recorded since 1973.White, Charles. (2003). ''The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Authorised Biography''. Omnibus Press. Recorded at the

Jack Clement Jack Henderson Clement (April 5, 1931 – August 8, 2013) was an American singer, songwriter, and record and film producer. Biography Early life Raised and educated in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, Clement was performing at an early age, ...

Studio in Nashville, the album featured remakes of twenty of his

Specialty Records Specialty Records was an American record label founded in Los Angeles in 1945 by Art Rupe. It was known for rhythm and blues, gospel, and early rock and roll, and recorded artists such as Little Richard, Guitar Slim, Percy Mayfield, and Lloyd P ...

tracks. If you count live takes, this was actually the fifth or sixth time that Richard had recorded his classic mid-1950s hits. Despite the album's title, the tracks are studio recordings, not live performances. These August 1976 sessions and an early 1990s set with Japanese guitarist, Masayoshi Takanakka, are the last times that Penniman would re-record his mid-1950s hits for a studio album before Penniman's death in May 2020. Alternate takes from these sessions are found on a full stereo "Audiophile" album from 1980.

History

Just prior to recording ''Little Richard Live!'', Richard appeared in the film ''

The London Rock and Roll Show The London Rock and Roll Show was a concert held at Wembley Stadium in Wembley Park, London, England, on 5 August 1972. It is often said to have been the first ever concert held at the stadium, but a pop concert featuring the bands Status Quo and ...

'' and on piano for two tracks on the

Bachman–Turner Overdrive Bachman–Turner Overdrive, often abbreviated BTO, were a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, founded by Randy Bachman, Robbie Bachman and Fred Turner in 1973. Their 1970s catalogue included five top-40 albums and six US top-40 single ...

album ''Head On''. Richard was approached by Stan Shulman in 1976, and it took some convincing, but Richard finally agreed to the sessions – he had already made his decision to leave rock and roll for the second time. After recording this album for

K-Tel K-tel International Ltd is a Canadian company which formerly specialized in selling consumer products through infomercials and live demonstration. Its products include compilation music albums, including ''The Super Hits'' series, ''The Dynami ...

, Penniman did not return to a recording studio until 1979, where he recorded gospel music for the World label. Penniman reflected on this during an interview for UK music show '' The Tube'' in 1985, where he told presenter

Jools Holland Julian Miles Holland, (born 24 January 1958) is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer and television presenter. He was an original member of the band Squeeze and has worked with many artists including Jayne County, Sting, Eric C ...

, "I gave up rock and roll in 1976. I had a lot of death in my family, my brother fell dead, he had a heart attack, he was thirty-two years old. I had another friend who got shot in the head, another friend of mine got cut up with a

butcher knife A butcher knife or butcher's knife is a knife designed and used primarily for the butchering or dressing of animal carcasses. Use Today, the butcher knife is used throughout the world in the meat processing trade. The heftier blade works well f ...

, another friend of mine had a heart attack, then my mother died. Then my nephew shot himself in the head, and so I decided I would just give my life to being an evangelist."The Tube, Channel 4 Television, March 8, 1985

Track listing

(some have been issued as alternate takes) #"The Girl Can't Help It" #"Rip It Up" #"Send Me Some Lovin'" #"Bama Lama Bama Loo" #"She's Got It" #"Can't Believe You Wanna Leave" #"Long Tall Sally" #"Jenny, Jenny" #"Good Golly, Miss Molly" #"Lucille" #"Keep A-Knockin'" #"All Around The World" #"True Fine Mama" #"Ready Teddy" #"By The Light of the Silvery Moon" #"Slippin' and Slidin'" #"Baby Face" #"Ooh! My Soul" #"Miss Ann" #"

Tutti Frutti Tutti frutti (from Italian ''tutti i frutti'', "all fruits"; also hyphenated tutti-frutti) is a colorful confectionery containing various chopped and usually candied fruits, or an artificial or natural flavouring simulating the combined flavour ...

Personnel

*Little Richard – vocals, piano *Dennis Brownside – piano *

Eddie Bayers Eddie Bayers (born January 28, 1949) is an American session drummer who has played on 300 gold and platinum albums. He received the Academy of Country Music 'Drummer of the Year Award' for fourteen years, has three times won the Nashville Music ...

– drums *Jack Jackson – bass guitar *Paul Worley – guitar *Pat Patnik – guitar *Don Jackson – saxophone According to K-Tel Records, it is not known whether Richard also played piano on these tracks.

References

{{Little Richard Little Richard albums 1976 live albums