Rick Nelson Garden Party 1972

Two things made me think of this record. The first was the country rock sounds on the Peterson/Cowsill record I just reviewed, and the other was Bob Dylan's recent cover of Garden Party on YouTube. Rick Nelson was a huge hit in the late 50 and early 60s, recording a string of top 10 pop singles (several with rockabilly stylings) and successful albums. Around 1966 he began his exploration of country rock, and he made solid, if less successful records in the genre. His later sixties success was hampered by his difficulty overcoming his teen idol image. In 1969 he formed the Stone Canyon Band with Randy Meisner (bass guitarist of Poco and The Eagles), Tom Brumley (steel guitar player from Buck Owen's Buckaroos), Allen Kemp (guitar) and Patrick Shanahan (drums). They were a very talented group, and in 1972 they released Garden Party, his last chart success.

Nelson wrote six of the songs on the record, and they are all solid. The title track is the star, documenting his disappointing experience at an oldies concert at Madison Square Garden. But there isn't a weak song on the record. Rockers Let It Bring You Along, I Wanna Be With You, Chuck Berry's I'm Talking About You (with a jazz middle section!), and the honky-tonking So Long Mama all cook. The ballads are good, too, especially Nelson's Night Time Lady and the closer Palace Guard.

Most of Nelson's work is well worth exploring and available for streaming. As the pinnacle of his country rock records, Garden Party is a fine example of the genre, and just an excellent record by any standard.