David Nelson (musician)

Last updated
David Nelson
David Nelson.png
Nelson in 2015
Background information
Born (1943-06-12) June 12, 1943 (age 79)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Origin San Francisco Bay Area
Genres Rock, country rock, bluegrass, folk
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)
Years activeEarly 1960s – present
Member of New Riders of the Purple Sage, David Nelson Band
Formerly of Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, Phil Lesh and Friends
Website nelsonband.com

David Brian Nelson [1] (born June 12, 1943) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. [2] He is perhaps best known as a co-founder and longtime member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage. [3]

Contents

Career

Nelson started his musical career playing folk and bluegrass music, most notably as a member of The Wildwood Boys with Jerry Garcia. Shortly after his friend and former bandmate began to play rock music with The Warlocks (subsequently renamed the Grateful Dead), Nelson joined the similarly inclined New Delhi River Band. Although they lacked the managerial acumen and cultural cachet of the Grateful Dead and elected to remain in East Palo Alto, California unlike the former group, who soon relocated to the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, the New Delhi River Band were considered to be the house band of The Barn (one of the region's few viable concert venues outside of San Francisco) in Scotts Valley, California by late 1966. The group continued to enjoy a cult following in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties through the Summer of Love until their dissolution in early 1968.

While performing with various ephemeral bluegrass groups (such as High Country, which enabled him to renew his friendship with Garcia) in early 1969, Nelson was recruited by the remaining rhythm section of Peter Albin and Dave Getz to serve as the lead guitarist of the reconstituted Big Brother and the Holding Company. Before the group began to audition potential replacements for Janis Joplin, Garcia and fellow Palo Alto folk scene veteran John "Marmaduke" Dawson invited Nelson to serve as the lead guitarist for their new psychedelic country rock venture, the New Riders of the Purple Sage. [4] (Big Brother ultimately reformed later in the year by augmenting the 1968 membership save for Joplin with two singers and a third guitarist.) After playing with the New Riders from 1969 to 1982, Nelson left the band to pursue other musical opportunities; these included a stint on Broadway as a member of the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and some time touring with Al Rapone and the Zydeco Express.

In the mid 1990s, Nelson formed his own group, the critically acclaimed David Nelson Band (aka DNB), whose original members included Bill Laymon (New Riders, Jefferson Starship, Harmony Grits, Gypsy Cowboy Band) on bass, Barry Sless (Cowboy Jazz, Phil Lesh and Friends, Kingfish) on lead and pedal steel guitar, Michael "Mookie" Siegel (Kingfish, Phil Lesh and Friends, Kettle Joe's Psychedelic Swamp Revue) on keyboards and accordion, and Arthur Steinhorn (Cowboy Jazz) on drums. [5] Later on, drumming duties were shared by Charlie Crane, Greg Anton (Zero) and Jimmy Sanchez (Flying Other Brothers). Since 2007, working under the name David Nelson Band, the lineup now includes Pete Sears (Jefferson Starship, Hot Tuna, Rod Stewart) on bass and keyboards, and John Molo (Phil Lesh & Friends, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, John Fogerty) on drums.

Along with noted steel player Buddy Cage and guitarist Michael Falzarano, Nelson re-formed The New Riders of the Purple Sage in 2005. This band is currently experiencing a resurgence in popularity, due not only to the veteran performers who front the band but because of the energy provided by drummer Johnny Markowski (Stir Fried) and Ronnie Penque (Ripple, Neon Gods) on bass. [6]

In addition to NRPS, Nelson still performs with the David Nelson Band as well as with The Papermill Creek Rounders, a bluegrass group he co-founded with his long-time friend, Lowell "Banana" Levenger (formerly of The Youngbloods).

During the summer of 2006, Nelson was asked to contribute to an album of Grateful Dead songs being made in Nashville by Jesse McReynolds. While in Nashville for the recording sessions, Nelson appeared on the Grand Ole Opry and played "Ripple," the first-ever Grateful Dead song to be performed on the Opry.

In addition to his work in his own bands, Nelson has performed as a guest artist on recordings by many other artists, including three Grateful Dead albums: Aoxomoxoa , Workingman's Dead , and American Beauty . He is well known as the lead singer on The New Riders of the Purple Sage's 1973 countercultural anthem, "Panama Red". In 2019, following the passing of Robert Hunter, Nelson released a previously unheard collaboration with the lyricist. [7]

Discography

This is a partial discography of albums on which David Nelson appears. [8]

David Nelson Band

New Riders of the Purple Sage

With other artists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Garcia</span> American guitarist and singer (1942–1995)

Jerome John Garcia was an American musician best known for being the principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 1960s. Although he disavowed the role, Garcia was viewed by many as the leader of the band. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 as a member of the Grateful Dead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Hunter (lyricist)</span> American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet

Robert C. Christie Hunter was an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his work with the Grateful Dead. Born near San Luis Obispo, California, Hunter spent some time in his childhood in foster homes, as a result of his father's abandoning his family, and took refuge in reading and writing. He attended the University of Connecticut for a year before returning to Palo Alto, where he became friends with Jerry Garcia. Garcia and Hunter began a collaboration that lasted through the remainder of Garcia's life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Weir</span> American musician; member of the Grateful Dead

Robert Hall Weir is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead. Weir also founded and played in several other bands during and after his career with the Grateful Dead, including Kingfish, the Bob Weir Band, Bobby and the Midnites, Scaring the Children, RatDog, and Furthur, which he co-led with former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh. In 2015, Weir, along with former Grateful Dead members Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann, joined with Grammy-winning singer/guitarist John Mayer, bassist Oteil Burbridge, and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti to form the band Dead & Company. The band remains active.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Riders of the Purple Sage</span> American country rock band

New Riders of the Purple Sage is an American country rock band. The group emerged from the psychedelic rock scene in San Francisco in 1969 and its original lineup included several members of the Grateful Dead. The band is sometimes referred to as the New Riders or as NRPS.

David Edwin Torbert was a Bay Area musician, best known for his associations with the Grateful Dead and the New Riders of the Purple Sage. He played bass for the latter group, replacing Phil Lesh during the sessions for their first album. He also played on "Box of Rain", a song from American Beauty, and on "Greatest Story Ever Told" from Bob Weir's solo album Ace. Additionally, he was a founding member, with Matthew Kelly, of the band Kingfish. Torbert died of a heart attack in 1982. Among the songs that Torbert wrote and sang lead with the New Riders were "California Day", "Contract", "Gypsy Cowboy", "Groupie", "On My Way Back Home", "It's Alright with Me", "Important Exportin' Man", and "Thank the Day".

<i>Before Time Began</i> 1986 studio album by New Riders of the Purple Sage

Before Time Began is the eleventh studio album and thirteenth album overall by the country rock group the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It was released in 1986 on the Relix Records label.

<i>New Riders of the Purple Sage</i> (album) 1971 studio album by New Riders of the Purple Sage

New Riders of the Purple Sage is the debut album by the American country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It was released by Columbia Records in 1971, and reached number 39 on the Billboard charts.

<i>Cactus Juice</i> 2006 compilation album by New Riders of the Purple Sage

Cactus Juice is a two-CD album by the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It was released by Arcadia Records in 2006. It is a repackaging of three complete New Riders albums from the 1970s — Home, Home on the Road; Brujo; and Oh, What a Mighty Time.

<i>Three from the Vault</i> 2007 live album by Grateful Dead

Three from the Vault is a live album by the Grateful Dead. It contains the complete show recorded on February 19, 1971 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. It was released on June 26, 2007.

<i>Vintage NRPS</i> 1986 live album by New Riders of the Purple Sage

Vintage NRPS is an album by the country rock group the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It was recorded live on February 21 and February 23, 1971 at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, New York, and released in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Penque</span> Musical artist

Ronnie Penque is a bassist, singer and songwriter who has been working in the music industry for over 30 years. He has been the bassist for the country rock band New Riders of the Purple Sage since 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dawson (musician)</span> American musician

John Collins Dawson IV, nicknamed "Marmaduke", was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was best known as the leader and co-founder of the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. He sang lead vocals on most of the band’s songs.

Buddy Cage was an American pedal steel guitarist, best known as a longtime member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage.

<i>The Relix Bay Rock Shop, No. 1</i> 1992 compilation album by New Riders of the Purple Sage

The Relix Bay Rock Shop, No. 1 is an album by the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It was originally distributed as a promotional radio program in 1992, and was also sold in record stores. It includes previously released songs selected from three New Riders albums, interviews with John Dawson, Tom Constanten, and others, and several advertisements.

<i>Relixs Best of the Early New Riders of the Purple Sage</i> 1995 album by New Riders of the Purple Sage

Relix's Best of the Early New Riders of the Purple Sage is an album by the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It was released on August 5, 1995. It contains previously released songs that were recorded between 1969 and 1975 and were selected from three albums on the Relix Records label — Before Time Began, Vintage NRPS, and Live on Stage.

<i>Road Trips Volume 3 Number 3</i> 2010 live album by Grateful Dead

Road Trips Volume 3 Number 3 is a live album by the American rock band the Grateful Dead. Recorded on May 15, 1970, and released on June 14, 2010, it was the 11th of the "Road Trips" series of albums, and the first to contain three discs instead of two.

<i>The Warner Bros. Studio Albums</i> 2010 box set by Grateful Dead

The Warner Bros. Studio Albums is a box set of five vinyl LPs by the rock group the Grateful Dead. It is a reissue of their first five studio albums: The Grateful Dead (1967), Anthem of the Sun (1968), Aoxomoxoa (1969), Workingman's Dead (1970), and American Beauty (1970). These albums were originally released by Warner Bros. Records. The box set was released by Rhino Records on September 21, 2010.

<i>17 Pine Avenue</i> 2012 studio album by New Riders of the Purple Sage

17 Pine Avenue is an album by the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It was released on March 6, 2012.

<i>Family Dog at the Great Highway, San Francisco, CA 4/18/70</i> 2013 live album by Grateful Dead

Family Dog at the Great Highway, San Francisco, CA 4/18/70 is a live album by the rock band the Grateful Dead. It was recorded at the Family Dog concert hall in San Francisco on April 18, 1970. It was released by Rhino Records on November 29, 2013. The album was produced as a single-disc CD, and also as a two-disc vinyl LP, the latter in a limited audiophile edition of 7,500 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Garcia discography</span>

Jerry Garcia was an American musician. A guitarist, singer, and songwriter, he became famous as a member of the rock band the Grateful Dead, from 1965 to 1995. When not touring or recording with the Dead, Garcia was often playing music in other bands and with other musicians.

References

  1. ↑ "A LONG GOODBYE". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  2. ↑ Swihart, Stanton. David Nelson biography at AllMusic. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ "The History of NRPS", nrps.net. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Interview with David Nelson of the New Riders of the Purple Sage, Part 1", KBOO, May 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  5. ↑ David Nelson interview Archived 2012-03-15 at the Wayback Machine , Digital Interviews, June 1999. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  6. ↑ Eagleman, Chet Jr. (October 30, 2011). "Interview with David Nelson of the New Riders of the Purple Sage", Taste Makers Grand Rapids. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  7. ↑ Budnick, Dean https://relix.com/articles/detail/david-nelson-reflects-on-writing-and-recording-with-robert-hunter/ Relix
  8. ↑ David Nelson discography at the Grateful Dead Family Discography. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.