AMG Review of Essential

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Speciality's The Essential Little Richard lives up to its billing, featuring 20 of Little Richard's finest recordings for the label. Not only are all the hits here, but there's some terrific lesser-known tunes and cult favorites slipped on at the end of the record, making this yet another great compilation of Richard's Specialty material. It proves that it would be nearly impossible to release a bad compilation of these recordings.