Influences & Concurrent Styles

• Ricky Nelson’s style was inspired by famous musicians he idolized as a teen. He was greatly influenced by musicians such as:

– Elvis Presley– Carl Perkins– Johnny Cash

Influences Continued

• Nelson’s first claim to music fame was an Elvis Presley impersonation he performed to impress a girl

• The first recorded song Nelson did was a cover of Fats Domino’s “I’m Walkin’”

• Nelson worked closely with other great musicians like James Burton and Joe Maphis

Concurrent Styles

• Ricky Nelson is best known for his “rockabilly” style

• Starting in the 1960s, Nelson started singing more country-style music after his rock and roll fame began to die down

• He preferred upbeat rock songs, but also sang many ballads and love songs.

Sources

• Biography. (n.d.). Rick/Ricky Nelson's Official Website. Retrieved from http://rickynelson.com/ indexold.html

• Ricky Nelson. (n.d.). Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved from http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/ ricky-nelson

• Ricky Nelson's Biography. (2008, July 18). Retrieved from http://www.last.fm/music/Ricky+Nelson/ +wiki