Eric Hilliard Nelson would have been 66 today. (He died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve 1985.)
I went to a Garden Party
To reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories
and play our songs again.
When I got to the Garden Party
They all knew my name
But no one recognized me
I didn’t look the same.
But it’s all right now.
I learned my lesson well.
You see you can’t please everyone
So you got to please yourself.
Rick Nelson, “Garden Party” (1971)
On hearing “Garden Party??? recently, I recalled Ozzie Nelson defending Rick on the Tonight Show in ’71 ish. More than plugging the record (which turned Gold) it seemed his single mission in appearing was to stand up for Rick. He was angry. What a Dad!
Rick had the clearest sweetest voice but the twang boosters ruined it for me back then. He deserves more credit as a forerunner and he had the best hair of any other rocker- before or since.