Little Richard discography
This page is a discography for American musician Little Richard. Described as "the architect of rock and roll", Little Richard was a pioneering singer-songwriter whose career also encompassed rhythm and blues, soul, and gospel. He began his recording career in 1951, signing to RCA Victor, releasing his first singles, and his first album in 1957, although he released his last album in 1992, he continued to tour into the 21st century. He attained international success after signing with Specialty Records in 1955. Recording sessions. The pre-Specialty sessions. RCA Victor sessions: WGST Studio, Atlanta, October 16 , 1951, and January 12, 1952 Peacock sessions: Houston, February 25 and October 5, 1953 The Specialty sessions. Little Richard recorded the demonstration tape for Specialty at WBML Studio, Macon, on February 9, 1955. He was recording for Specialty for two years, from September 13, 1955, to October 18, 1957. The recording sessions Little Richard cut for Specialty are among the most important in the history of pop music. When Richard abdicated from Rock 'n' Roll in late 1957, Specialty was forced to go back to earlier, less rock-oriented recordings they had rejected initially to make future releases. In an  effort to make these bluesy recordings sound "current", they added a female chorus (and in at least one instance, extra instrumentation) to the basic track. The Goldner sessions. Several religious cuts were recorded in the summer of 1959 in New York City and released by different labels owned by (or associated with) record industry mogul George Goldner (End, Goldisc, Coral, Spin O Rama, etc.). The recordings are considered miserable, and three record labels with access to the "dirgelike" cuts overdubbed drums and other percussion to fill out the sound. However, the best of these recordings exude a purity and commitment  not always found on Richard's later recordings. The Little Star sessions. Little Richard recorded six rhythm and blues songs, 3 Fats Domino vocals and 3 instrumentals, backed by his 1950s band, the Upsetters, on November 24, 1962, in New York. Two singles were released by Little Star under the name "The World Famous Upsetters". The Mercury sessions. Little Richard was working for Mercury from June 1961 to March 1962. These excellent recordings have been produced by Quincy Jones and Bumps Blackwell. It appears a second Mercury album was planned but shelved. Richard reached the charts with two single releases . The Atlantic sessions. The recordings made for Atlantic from June 14, 1962, to April 2, 1963, continue Richard's commitment to religious material. The return to Specialty. In the wake of the "British Invasion" and following a successful tour of England, Richard collected his current guitarist (Glen Willings), the drummer from his New Orleans sessions (Earl Palmer), and old labelmates Don and Dewey and returned to Specialty to start his comeback. He recorded five titles (including "Well Alright" and "Bama Lama Bama Loo") in two sessions in March and April 1964. A single was released at the time; and four  of the songs were eventually released, with additional overdubs, on the 1970 compilation "Well Alright!". The Vee Jay sessions. Charles White wrote in 1984: "Even with access to the Vee Jay files, information is a bit uncertain in some areas... Of most importance to latter-day rock fans are the cuts that Jimi Hendrix played on, as a member of Richard's touring band. We have singled out those tracks we are relatively sure have Hendrix involvement, although he may have appeared on others." Little Richard was recording for Vee Jay from June 1964 to at least May–June 1965 . (Vee Jay Executive Betty Chiapetta reported in 1982, that Richard recorded several instrumentals for the label). According to Charles White, Jimi Hendrix was playing guitar at least on the first session including such titles as "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", "Hound Dog", "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", "Money Honey", "Goodnight Irene" and others, released on the album "Little Richard Is Back". Hendrix played on at least 9 cuts on the second LR Vee Jay album, of '50s remakes. Critics have lauded the Richard-Hendrix songs "I Don't Know What You've Got (But It's Got Me)", a Soul hit in  late 1965, and "Dancing All Around The World" (aka "Dance A Go Go") and "You'd Better Stop", recorded in New York City May or June, '65; the latter two breaking through many years later on various compilations. The Modern sessions. Little Richard was recording for the Modern Records label from December 1965 to January 1966. The Modern recordings are demos, studio warm-ups, tapes supplied by Richard, and actual Modern sessions. Two albums were issued, all tracks of the first one "The Incredible Little Richard Sings His Greatest Hits - Live!" have an overdubbed audience to enhance a live show(s ) done at 'The Domino', a club in Atlanta, Georgia, December 1, 1965. There are at least six tracks still unreleased (including “Try Me”, "I Got a Woman", "Good-Bye So Long" [aka "Goodbye Baby"], "Satisfaction", "Baby Face", "High Heel Sneakers"). Two songs are leftovers from Vee Jay Records, an extended version of "Groovy Little Suzy" and a studio version of "Slippin' and Slidin'", both from August 1964. It appears that a third, "Do The Jerk" [aka "Get Down With It"], was recorded in November 1964 in Nashville with Jimi Hendrix. One studio single charted. The Okeh sessions. Contemporary, yet progressive  mix of pop, jazz, and soul studio cuts and a charting, in-studio-with-audience live set highlight Richard's Okeh period from February 5, 1966, to May 17, 1967 at Hollywood and (in December 1966) at Abbey Road Studios. Penniman's long-time friend, musician Larry Williams produced the pair of albums. Two singles charted. The Brunswick sessions. Richard recorded for Brunswick six titles in 1967–68. Three singles have been released. It appears a live album, "Little Richard Sings At The Aladdin" was planned. It is not found in the Brunswick files. The Reprise sessions. The Reprise era was  the peak of Richard's comeback, highlighted by numerous television talk-show appearances. The sessions took place from March 11, 1970, to April 1972. (Reprise files mention a 1969 session in Los Angeles, for Blackwell Productions; no titles available). Sessions yielded two hit singles and one hit album. Some tracks from April 1971, first appeared under alternate titles, for the Ala label. Miscellaneous sessions. Little Richard recorded three titles for the film "Let the Good Times Roll" circa late 1972, for United Records in January 1973, and for other labels in 1973–75. He re-recorded his mid-50s and mid-60s Specialty  hits for K-tel in 1976. In 1979, Koala Records issued what sounds like an early 1970s performance. In 1979, he recorded the gospel album "God's Beautiful City", issued by Word Records. In 1985 and 1986, he recorded the album "Lifetime Friend", issued by Warner Bros. in 1986.