Rick Nelson had recently finished working on the Sun Reunion album with Orbison, Lewis, Cash and Perkins. Rockabilly was probably Nelson’s favorite music and the focus on his final album.
FINAL RICK NELSON ALBUM
MAY SEE THE LIGHT, SON’S
TRIBUTE
It’s been a secret or little known to many of us that Rick Nelson had been finishing work on a new studio album at the time of his passing on December 30, 1985, according to his long time manager, Greg McDonald, who claims to have possession of the master tapes, we learn from an article in Examiner.com, March 30.
The album was recorded as in the ‘old days’ on a three track tape recorder yet with modern studio production. A huge devotee of Sun Records, We believe Rick liked to keep things close to the original sound and the album is said to consist of mostly rockabilly. Earlier in the year, Rick had played on a ‘Sun Reunion’ album of Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Carl Perkins.
After Rick’s passing, the article states that famed Everly Brothers guitarist, Albert Lee, added guitar tracks to the album, according to the article. Yet, the key element of Rick’s only backing, over-dubbed vocals were not yet added. Some feel the album , in its current form would not do justice to the Nelson legacy, yet McDonald hopes to finish it and get the album finally released. If it could be done properly – perhaps with Rick’s sons Matthew and Gunnar supplying the needed harmonies why not finally get it out for this Dec 31, the 30th anniversary of Rick’s loss in the plane crash? Exciting news to say the least if what we read is correct.
Included in the ‘final cut’is an updated version of the Buddy Holly classic, ‘True Love Ways,’which Nelson had recordedearlier, as we hear here.
Meanwhile, the same article – and quite a long, in depth article at that- tells us that Rick’s youngest son, Sam is an accomplished singer/songwriter in his own write and has made a tribute to his Dad which should be released shortly. Sam was only 11 when Rick passed and he learn that he never got to spend a lot of time with Rick due to factors including an accrimonious divorce. These factors probably also were a factor in why Rick’s last album was shelved and forgotten – until now.
For the original Examinar story
