VARÈSE SARABANDE AND CRAFT RECORDINGS ANNOUNCE 'LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK)'

The soundtrack of the award-winning documentary includes timeless classics from Little Richard including such hits as “Tutti Frutti,” “Good Golly, Miss Molly,” and “Long Tall Sally”

Plus previously-unreleased covers from Valerie June and Cory Henry, and original film score

The digital album is available today to stream in its entirety, with CD and LP

formats to follow later in the year

Los Angeles, CA (June 16, 2023)–Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings announce the release of Little Richard: I Am Everything: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, featuring music from Lisa Cortés’ award-winning documentary. The album offers a 14-track collection of Little Richard’s best-loved hits, such as “Tutti Frutti,” “Good Golly, Miss Molly,” “Rip It Up,” and “Long Tall Sally,” plus two previously-unreleased covers from Valerie June and Cory Henry, and a piece from the film’s original score, composed by Tamar-kali. The soundtrack is available today to stream or download on all digital platforms, with the CD format arriving in September 2023, and the vinyl coming December 2023. Alongside the black LP which will be available wide, fans can also find a Tutti Frutti-color pressing of the album exclusively at VareseSarabande.com and CraftRecordings.com.

Produced by Bungalow Media + Entertainment for CNN Films and (HBO) Max, in association with Rolling Stone Films, director Lisa Cortés’ Sundance 2023 opening night documentary tells the story of the Black queer origins of rock ’n’ roll, exploding the whitewashed canon of American pop music to reveal the innovator – the originator – Richard Penniman. Through a wealth of archive and performance that brings us into Richard’s complicated inner world, the film unspools the icon’s life story with all its switchbacks and contradictions. In interviews with Little Richard’s family and friends, legendary musicians and artists like Mick Jagger, Tom Jones, Billy Porter, Paul McCartney, Nile Rodgers, John Waters, and cutting-edge Black and queer scholars, the film reveals how the architect of rock ’n’ roll created an art form for ultimate self-expression; yet, what he gave to the world he was never able to give to himself.

In the early ’50s, Little Richard (born Richard Penniman) combined the spirit of church music, the bawdiness of blues and the swing of New Orleans jazz and turned it into something altogether new: rock ’n’ roll. It wasn’t until the Macon, Georgia native signed to Art Rupe’s Specialty Records at the age of 23, however, that Little Richard truly developed his signature sound and over-the-top persona. Having taken several years out of the spotlight to focus on religion, Little Richard returned to his rock ’n’ roll roots in the early ’60s. This period kicked off with a successful European tour, followed by a new record contract with Vee-Jay Records. His first release with the label was 1964’s Little Richard Is Back — a triumphant collection of old favorites and new tunes, with a backing band that featured a young Jimi Hendrix on guitar. Richard’s second and final studio release with Vee-Jay was 1965’s His Greatest Hits. Despite the name, this album is not a compilation, but rather features the singer revisiting his classic hits nearly a decade later, introducing new arrangements and instrumentation. One of the first artists to be inducted into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame, Little Richard’s status as one of the most influential recording artists of all time has been cemented by a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1993 GRAMMY® Awards, inductions into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2003), the NAACP Image Awards’ Hall of Fame (2002), and the Blues Hall of Fame in June of 2015. In 2010, Little Richard was listed as number eight in Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Artists of All Time,” while also that year, the Library of Congress inducted “Tutti Frutti,” the song that started it all, into its National Recording registry, proclaiming that the song “announced a new era in music.”

“In each of his thundering live performances throughout the years, sporting a gleaming suit with sweat lining his brow as he pounds away at the keys of his piano, you see the outrageous thrill and grace of spirit that powered his music up close.” – Pitchfork

“Lisa Cortés’s richly enjoyable film examines the alter egos and queer theories surrounding a conflicted star who was way ahead of his time.” – The Guardian

“As any Little Richard chronicle must, I Am Everything unravels the central injustice that looms over his career, which is that what Richard accomplished as a performer was far greater than what he ever got for it.” – The New Yorker

“An enthralling portrait of rock ‘n’ roll’s most transgressive king” – Variety

Little Richard: I Am Everything is now available on Video on Demand, and in select theaters globally. For more information, visit littlericharddocumentary.com

Pre-order Little Richard: I Am Everything (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Tracklist:

CD:

1. Good Golly, Miss Molly – Little Richard 
2. Strange Things Happening Every Day – Valerie June
3. Baby (demo) – Little Richard
4. I’m Just A Lonely Guy (All Alone) – Little Richard 
5. Tutti Frutti – Little Richard and His Band 
6. Long Tall Sally – Little Richard and His Band
7. Lucille – Little Richard and His Band 
8. Bama Lama Bama Loo – Little Richard
9. Rip It Up – Little Richard and His Band 
10. Ready Teddy – Little Richard and His Band
11. The Girl Can’t Help It – Little Richard and His Band 
12. Send Me Some Lovin’ – Little Richard and His Band 
13. Tutti Frutti – Cory Henry 
14. Legacy – Tamar-kali

LP:

Side A

1. Good Golly, Miss Molly – Little Richard 
2. Strange Things Happening Every Day – Valerie June
3. Baby (demo) – Little Richard
4. I’m Just A Lonely Guy (All Alone) – Little Richard 
5. Tutti Frutti – Little Richard and His Band 
6. Long Tall Sally – Little Richard and His Band

Side B

1. Lucille – Little Richard and His Band 
2. Bama Lama Bama Loo – Little Richard
3. Rip It Up – Little Richard and His Band 
4. Ready Teddy – Little Richard and His Band
5. The Girl Can’t Help It – Little Richard and His Band 
6. Send Me Some Lovin’ – Little Richard and His Band 
7. Tutti Frutti – Cory Henry 
8. Legacy – Tamar-kali 

About Varèse Sarabande:

Varèse Sarabande is one of the leading and most prolific producers of film and television soundtracks. The label was formed as a merger between Varèse International Records (named for composer Edgar Varèse) and Sarabande Records (named after a musical dance form). Initially a classical label, Varèse Sarabande has released thousands of soundtracks and new recordings of classic film scores conducted by celebrated composers with the world’s best-known orchestras since 1977. The label upped the ante for fans by creating the Varèse Sarabande CD Club—releasing exclusive limited-edition deluxe soundtracks featuring rare and long-requested titles. The CD Club ran initially from 1989–92 and was restarted in 2001, and Varèse continues to create Deluxe Editions of cherished scores that might otherwise never see a release.  Since joining Concord in 2018, Varèse Sarabande continues its mission to release new scores, high quality vinyl and Deluxe Edition soundtracks.  

For more info, visit VareseSarabande.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 

About Craft Recordings:

Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., Joan Sebastian, and Traveling Wilburys. Plus, the catalog recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likeness and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers. 

Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.