Country-rock Pioneers:Rick Nelson Stone Canyon Band vs.Mike Nesmith 1st National Band

Just a little bit of fun here. Which one do you prefer?

With the re-release last week in the U.S. (last month in the U.K.) of Ricky Nelson's debut with The Stone Canyon Band, Rick Nelson In Concert (The Troubadour, 1969), I thought a poll would be interesting.

Both bands received critical acclaim. And, both bands, for the most part, flew under the general public's radar. By the time both bands debuted, neither frontman was considered very hip (at least, not in the U.S.).


One band, The Stone Canyon Band, was fronted by Ricky Nelson, who was originally best known to the general public from the TV series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. The other band, The First National Band, was fronted by Michael Nesmith, who was known to the general public from the TV series, The Monkees.


Both bands are considered pioneers in country-rock, although, as we all know, country and rock blended together in various degrees from the beginning. The term country-rock is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians of the late 1960s and early 1970s who began to record rock records using country themes, vocal styles and additional instrumentation, most characteristically pedal steel guitar (quote from Wikipedia).


The First National Band released 3 studio albums: Magnetic South, Loose Salute and Nevada Fighter. The Stone Canyon Band released 5 studio albums: Rick Sings Nelson, Rudy the Fifth, Garden Party, Windfall and Intakes.

 

Going with Rick Nelson on this one.

 

Yes, Rick.....although Nesmith and his band are also impressive.

 

Michael Nesmith and The First National Band

 

Based solely on the albums cited in the OP, I like Mike.

 

I've only heard the track Garden Party by Rick, where as I have listened to Nesmith's band a lot over the same time frame (70-72)... so because of familiarity, I'll go with Mike.

 

Rick Nelson although I don't consider either one counrty-rock pioneers.

 

Rick fan here.

 

I love them both but have to vote for Mike Nesmith.

 

Okay, pretty close results so far! Nesmith 40%, Nelson 31%

Yeah, I question that too sometimes. But, everytime I read about either one, that phrase seems to almost always be mentioned: "country-rock pioneers" -- who am I to argue ?

I haven't voted yet. Still want to give it a little more time.

Yeah, both seem to have their little cult followings. Wasn't sure how the turnout for the vote would be. And how many are familiar with both bands.

 

Both bands are good, but Rick Nelson is a much better singer than Nesmith in my opinion.

For that reason Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band get my vote.

 

I would be curious to know who then you consider a Country Rock Pioneer? and please don't state early 60's or even 50's artists. "Country Rock" when the term was first penned denotes music of this style (previously mentioned) recorded Post 1966 and in this case Nesmith was indeed a pioneer with Nelson not far behind as well as The Byrds; Flying Burrito Brothers and Dillard & Clark. Although Nesmith's CR songs were contained as tracks on Monkees albums they are definately some of if not the earliest and most obvious CR tracks ever recorded that were more than just a one off song with only slight elements of CR.
But the first 3 complete albums in the CR genre that I can find are:
The Byrds "Sweetheart of The Rodeo" (1968)
Dillard & Clark "The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark" (1968)
The Flying Burrito Brothers "Gilded Palace of Sin" (1969)

These 3 albums actually predate full CR albums by Nesmith and Nelson. After those the flood gates kinda opened.
If you know of any full CR albums by anyone else predating these I would love to know.
Oh yeah Nesmith for me followed by Nelson.

 

The International Submarine Band should also be listed as one of country-rock's pioneering bands.


Ed Hurdle
HeavyDistortion

 

What are we trying to determine here? Are we interested in who were the true country rock pioneers, like Buck Owens, who absolutely defined the genre (although not the term) back at least in the early 60s. Or are we trying to determine which former rocker started making music like Buck after the term "country rock" came into use. That's not what I call a pioneer.

Rick Nelson even hired Buck's pedal steel player away from him.

 

with all due respect to the work of Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band (which I like)....
Papa Nez, all the way.

 

For those wanting to dig deeper into the early history of "country-rock" I'd highly recommend the 2008 book "Hot Burrritos" ..The True Story of The Flying Burrito Bros." by Chris Einarson with Chris Hillman. Published by Jawbone in the UK. Probably the best exposition I've ever read of the early LA scene. It really demonstrates how small and incestuous it was with a lot of cross breeding amongst many of the early players from the Notorious Byrd Bros period on. For instance I never knew that Parsons and Furay almost worked together pre-Burritos and Poco. And Nesmith even sat in with the Byrds for one show in Aug 68-post Parsons, but just before Hillman's departure(tho Hillman doesn't recall it) the lineup being McGuinn, Hillman, Clarence White & Kevin Kelley which lasted for a few shows and was apparently great. There was also a lineup that played the Troubador in May '68 before the release of Sweetheart that was supposedly killer consisting of McGuinn, Hillman,Kelley, Parsons, Doug Dillard & Sneaky Pete.

You get a lot of direct talk from both Hillman and Ethridge along with many others. It's a great history of the early scene even before it gets into the meat of the Burritos history. I'm not taking any sides here because GP has been dead for decades and isn't talking, but Hillman sets the record straight on lot of stuff you'll be surprised about and he's a sharp guy.Everyone has their point of view and after 40+ years memories and agendas can be suspect. Read the book and draw your own conclusions about who was first etc ( I don't care particularly) or your long held myths about the Burritos.

Re: Nesmith and Nelson poll... I'll go with Mike just because I think his songs are better.

 

Neither one

 

It's a tie so far...

 

Nez

 

One of the very few written by Rick himself that hit the top of the charts..it depicts an especially Bad Night at Madison Sq. Garden in 1971...the crowd wanted to hear Rick's Oldies,and,what did they get? Country & Western! The fans booed Nelson,and he'd did his oldies set grudgeingly,then fueled by Anger,wrote "Garden Party" as his Protest against it..The Result? His 1st #1 in years!

 

First: I'm in this race, and voted for both.

Second: how about rock and roll band with a steel guitar? Not absolute, but includes Nelson, Nesmith, Poco, Submarines, Burritos and some lesser known groups.

 

Yeah, when I discovered the story behind Garden Party, it elevated my appreciation of that song a few notches. I was thinking that he walked off the stage and didn't come back ?? Oh well, still a good story.

 

Ah, the old debate about where country rock started. Impossible to settle or even reach a general consensus on. Certainly several albums by Buck Owens and Sing Great Country Hits by the Everlys (both in the early 60's) could be argued to be country rock. As far as Rick Nelson goes, his two 1966 albums (Bright Lights and Country Music and Country Fever) are just as much country rock as the stuff Nesmith did with the Monkees that year.

 

I have always thought of the definition as country flavored music with rock instrumentation (Drums, electric bass) plus peddle steel, banjo, mandolin, dobro and fiddle utilizing a rock beat. Gram called it Cosmic American Music, he disliked the term Country Rock. I think Chris brought country and blue grass influences to Gram's folk inclinations and added a healthy dose of Rhythm and Blues. Gram, the Byrds and Burritos were the first to mix all of these major American music forms.

I voted for both, there influences were both important to the genre. I call them both pioneers of the art form.