Classic Richard Pryor LPs Released Digitally for First Time
December 1st marks what would have been Richard Pryor’s 75th birthday, and to celebrate the occasion, six of the comedian’s landmark recordings have been reissued digitally for the first time. “I am thrilled to celebrate Richard’s upcoming 75th birthday with this great news. A wonderful gift to his fans, old and new alike,” the comedian’s widow Jennifer Lee Pryor said of the Rhino reissue in a statement.
Included in the batch of six of Pryor’s Warner Bros. LPs that are heading to digital outlets is his 1979 live recording Wanted: Live in Concert, the album for his standup film Live in Concert, which ranked Number One on Rolling Stone’s list of the 25 Best Stand-Up Specials and Movies. The reissue also includes four Best Comedy Album Grammy-winning LPs – 1974’s That Nigger’s Crazy, 1975’s …Is It Something I Said?, 1976’s Bicentennial Nigger and 1982’s Live on the Sunset Strip – as well as Pryor’s final standup album, 1983’s Here and Now.
A digital bundle of the six albums, The Warner Bros. Albums (1974-1983), and the best-of compilation Richard Pryor – The Anthology: 1968-1992 are also available to purchase now on digital retailers. The Pryor reissues are also accessible on all streaming services.
The digital reissues are just the beginning of what promises to be a busy year in remembrance of Pryor’s comedic legacy. A biopic about the late comedian is currently in the works with Mike Epps in the Pryor role. Additionally, Pryor will reportedly be among the legendary comedians whose routines will be revived via hologram at the National Comedy Center.