Maps of Music

Ricky Nelson (1958)

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

The album shares its title with its singer, and the same songs were also issued at once on three 4-song EPs.

Key places

Master Recorders in Hollywood (1958)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — The album was recorded at Master Recorders in Hollywood, California, in April 1958. The source gives only the city, so the pin marks the city centre rather than the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Ricky Nelson is the second studio album by American singer Ricky Nelson
• Released July 1958 by Imperial Records
• Mixes then-recent hits with older songs updated for his style
• Includes a cover of Bobby Lee Trammell's "Shirley Lee"
• Other covers include Little Walter's "My Babe", "Unchained Melody", Fats Domino's "I'm in Love Again", and Roy Orbison's "Down the Line"
• Contains Ricky Nelson's first composition, "Don't Leave Me This Way"
• The Jordanaires provide backing vocals

Background

• Nelson's second studio album, following his debut as a studio artist
• Songs were reworked to suit his own style
• Rockabilly sound shaped by the Sun Records style of the period

Recording

• Recorded at Master Recorders in Hollywood, California
• Session dates in April 1958 include 1, 11, 17 and 21 April
• The track listing runs to twelve songs

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

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.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 reviewer said Nelson "remained a slavish imitator of the Sun Records rockabilly style on his sophomore long-player, but he had improved enormously in the endeavor"
• AllMusic gave the album a positive rating

Reappraisal

• Ken Graham of Disc described the album as "entertaining"

Records

• Billboard Top Pop Albums chart debut dated 28 July 1958, peaking at number 7
• Stayed on that chart for nine weeks
• Cashbox albums chart debut dated 21 June 1958, peaking at number 4
• Stayed on the Cashbox albums chart for 13 weeks
• Lead single "Poor Little Fool" was the first number one on Billboard's Hot 100 chart

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

Trivia

• The album's first track, "Shirley Lee", is a cover of a song by Bobby Lee Trammell
• The album includes Ricky Nelson's first composition, "Don't Leave Me This Way"
• The Jordanaires sang backing vocals on the album
• Little Walter's "My Babe" and Fats Domino's "I'm in Love Again" are among the covers
• "Shirley Lee" was recorded on 1 April 1958 at Master Recorders in Hollywood, California

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

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