Pop Rick Nelson or country Rick Nelson

I prefer the music of his more mature country rock period, those who've never heard anything other than ''Garden Party'' are missing a lot. I do love his early material as well, and ''Travelin' Man'' will always be my favorite RN song.

 

I like them bot but with a slight preference for his country rock albums with the Stone Canyon Band

 

I don't have a preference. I like the Dylan Rick Nelson too. Very good covers of Dylan songs.

 

I love Country Rick Nelson! Steel guitarist Tom Brumley added a lot to the Stone Country Band era. Future Eagle Randy Meisner can be heard on background vocals and bass on that wonderful track.

After Rick's plane crash, Dylan acknowledged his death by each night on tour by asking for a moment of silence and then played "Lonesome Town".

Here is an excerpt from Dylan's Chronicles autobiography regarding the first time that he heard "Travelin' Man":

Ricky had a smooth touch, the way he crooned in fast rhythm, the tonation of his voice. He was different than the rest of the teen idols, had a great guitarist who played like a cross between a honky-tonk hero and a barn-dance fiddler.

Nelson had never been a bold innovator like the early singers who sang like they were navigating burning ships. He didn’t sing desperately, do a lot of damage, and you’d never mistake him for a shaman. It didn’t feel like his endurance was ever being tested to the utmost, but it didn’t matter.

He sang his songs calm and steady like he was in the middle of a storm, men hurling past him. His voice was sort of mysterious and made you fall into a certain mood. I had been a big fan of Ricky’s and still liked him, but that type of music was on its way out. ...

I’d always felt kin to him. We were about the same age, probably liked the same things, from the same generation although our life experience had been so dissimilar, him being brought up out West on a family TV show.

It was like he’d been born and raised on Walden Pond where everything was hunky-dory, and I’d come out of the dark demonic woods, same forest, just a different way of looking at things. Ricky’s talent was very accessible to me. I felt we had a lot in common. In a few years’ time he’d record some of my songs, make them sound like they were his own, like he had written them himself. He eventually did write one himself and mentioned my name in it.

Ricky, in about ten years’ time, would even get booed while onstage for changing what was perceived as his musical direction. It turned out we did have a lot in common.

 

All Rick,all the time, anytime...

 

Dang, I posted my Dylan Rick Nelson comment without realizing you made a similar remark. Great song.

 

I think like Elvis, the classic 50s material was the pinnacle. With that said, I have only recently gotten into his latter day work which is quite good and proof that he was more than just a teen idol.

 

Both are equally great to me.

 

I invested in the Bear Family Rick Nelson Decca-era box set and it was one of the best things I ever did for my music collection. His country era stuff was fabulous. I don't think that Decca knew how to publicize him and I don't think that he had any "hits" during his Decca era.

 

Both.

 

Darryl

 

Actually, ‘She Belongs To Me’ peaked at #33 in Jan. 1970 with the Stone Canyon Band, on the Decca label.

 

Thanks for this!
I *think* that the bassist is Tim Cetera (brother of Chicago's Pete Cetera). Not much video of Tim during his very brief tenure in the Stone Canyon Band.

 

50s/early 60s


sean

 

Ricky Nelson before he became Rick is his best.With James Burton on guitar they recorded some of the best most tasteful rockabilly ever waxed.Legendary Masters is hands down the best overview of Ricky Nelsons early career on any format IMO.Of course one has to have the single Garden Party to have a comprehensive Nelson collection.

 

I like both!

 

I love Poor Little Fool and Travelin' Man. Pop stuff for me.

 

I just borrowed a Best of Ricky Nelson collection from my sister. The version of Garden Party must be the single version. It's quite different, a sparser arrangement, than the version on the LP. I like it. That must be what you are talking about, correct?

 

Yes that's it.Very good song but the 45 is much better IMO.

 

I agree

 

Been watching YT clips of Rick & stumbled upon this one.



Darryl

 

I kind of think of there being three eras of Rick; early/Imperial, Decca, and the rest. There is great stuff in all eras. The Decca releases are still often overlooked.

 

He made great records for someone who was supposed to be nothing more than a manufactured teen idol. Flawless vocal delivery.

Always loved this Dylan quote:

“He sang his songs calm and steady like he was in the middle of a storm, men hurling past him. His voice was sort of mysterious and made you fall into a certain mood. I’d always felt kin to him. In a few years’ time he’d record some of my songs, make them sound like they were his own, like he had written them himself. He eventually did write one himself and mentioned my name in it. The thing was that Ricky was still making records and that’s what I wanted to do, too.”

 

And James on a Rickenbacker!!

 

Both
love this song