Biography of Sandy Nelson

Drummer, Sandy Nelson was an easy choice for inclusion in the Rockabilly Hall-of-Fame, an Internet site that honors early rock stars. The Santa Monica, California native was a high demand Southern California session drummer in the 50's & 60's and scored with "Teen Beat," a top ten hit in 1959. Born Sander Nelson, December 1, 1938 under the fire sign of Sagittarius he began his professional career with Kip Tyler & the Flips. Future Beach Boy, Bruce Johnston, was also a member; they were popular live and released a few local hits on Ebb Records and made a little regional noise with "Jungle Hop" b/w "Ooh Yeah Baby," on Challenge Records. Nelson concentrated on session work after leaving the Flips and played on more dates then he remembers. One he does, however, was a Teddy Bears' session where the group waxed the #1 hit "To Know Him Is To Love Him," in 1958; legendary producer Phil Spector was a founding member of the Teddy Bears, and ex Flips' member Johnston played on the session too. Nelson had already started recording solos for Original Sound Records, but he didn't break out until his fifth single "Teen Beat," a #4 Pop hit in 1959. The drum instrumental accelerated a string of albums and solo releases that didn't stop until the late seventies. Nelson never turned his back on session work, and played on "Alley-Oop," "A Thousand Stars," and many others. He signed with Imperial Records and scored with "Let There Be Drums," in 1961, his only other Top 10 single; though he scored other minor hits like "Drums Are My Beat," and "Teen Beat '65'," a revitalization of his first hit. All the heavyweights played on Nelson's sessions including Glen Campbell, bassist Carol Kaye, and future Ventures' member Jerry McGee. He released five albums in 1962 his most prolific year, four were on Imperial and one Compelling Percussion dropped on London Records. Sadly, in 1963 Sandy lost part of his leg in an automobile accident, and while the misfortune curtailed his traveling it didn't hinder his studio work. Nelson's solo work alone amounts to around 50 albums. Sandy Nelson is truly one of Rock's unsung legends. ~ Andrew Hamilton