Maps of Music

Ricky (1957)

Where the lyrics of Ricky take you, and where it was really made.

With this debut album, Nelson became the first solo artist under the age of 18 to chart an album.

Key places

Master Recorders, Hollywood (1957)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — Sessions for the album were recorded at Master Recorders in Hollywood, California, on several dates from August to October 1957. The point is a city-centre marker, not the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Ricky: debut studio album by American actor and rock and roll musician Ricky Nelson
• Released in November 1957 by Imperial Records
• Mix of rock and roll songs, including covers of Carl Perkins, Cole Porter and Jerry Lee Lewis
• Joe Maphis was the lead guitarist on this album
• Twelve tracks, opening with “Honeycomb” and closing with “True Love”

Background

• Nelson was known both as an actor and as a rock and roll musician
• Carl Perkins songs “Boppin' the Blues” and “Your True Love” appear on the album
• Cole Porter's “True Love” is included as a cover

Recording

• Sessions were held at Master Recorders in Hollywood, California
• Session dates: 16 August, 24 September, 1 October and 3 October 1957
• Producers: Jimmie Haskell and Ozzie Nelson
• Arrangements credited to Buzz Adlam and Jimmie Haskell, depending on the session group
• The Jordanaires provided backing vocals on several tracks
• Players included Howard Roberts and Joe Maphis on guitar, Roger Renner on piano, George DeNaut or Ray Siegel on double bass, and Earl Palmer on drums

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Artist

Career

• Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician and actor.
• From age eight, he starred with his family in the radio and television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
• In 1957 he began a long, successful recording career, placing 54 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and its predecessors between 1957 and 1973.
• "Poor Little Fool" (1958) was the first number one single on Billboard's newly created Hot 100 chart.
• He appeared with John Wayne and Dean Martin in Howard Hawks's western Rio Bravo (1959).
• He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 21, 1987.
• In 1972 he returned to the Top 40 with "Garden Party", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.
• He died in a plane crash on December 31, 1985.

Personal Life

• He was married to Kristin Harmon from 1963 until their divorce in 1982.
• They had four children: actress Tracy Nelson, twin sons Gunnar and Matthew, and actor Sam.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• AllMusic calls the album “derivative” but praises Nelson's rhythmic, smooth singing, which handles the rock and roll beat with far greater ease than Pat Boone
• The same review credits him with natural pop instincts and a genuine rock and roll feel that set him apart from Elvis Presley imitators
• Disc's Jackie Moore finds Nelson only really comes alive on older numbers such as “I'm Confessin'” and “Am I Blue?”

Records

• Billboard Best Selling Pop LPs: first appeared in the issue dated 11 November 1957, stayed 33 weeks, and spent two consecutive weeks at number one
• Nelson became the first solo artist under the age of 18 to chart an album
• Cash Box albums chart: debuted in the issue dated 16 November 1957, stayed 25 weeks, and spent two consecutive weeks at number 1
• The Italian Wikipedia entry states the album reached the top of The Billboard 200 in 1958
• Singles: “Be-Bop Baby” peaked at No. 5 and “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?” at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100
• On the Cash Box Singles Chart the two singles reached 6 and 21
• “If You Can't Rock Me” was issued in 1963 to coincide with the Imperial compilation It's Up To You, and peaked at number 100 on the Hot 100 (issue dated 20 April 1963)

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album opens with “Honeycomb” and ends with “True Love”, a Cole Porter song.
• “Be-Bop Baby” and “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?” were the two singles released from the album first.
• “If You Can't Rock Me” was issued as a single six years later, in 1963, alongside the Imperial compilation It's Up To You.
• Joe Maphis was the lead guitarist, and Howard Roberts also played guitar on the sessions.
• Carl Perkins songs “Boppin' the Blues” and “Your True Love” appear on the album.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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