Greatest Hits [Capitol 2002] (CD - 2002)

Producers: Rick Nelson, Ozzie Nelson, Jimmie Haskell.

Compilation producers: Bob Hyde, James Ritz.

Recorded between 1957 & 1972. Includes liner notes by James Ritz.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Liner Note Author: James Ritz.

Recording information: Master Recorders (03/26/1957-06/??/1972); United Studios (03/26/1957-06/??/1972).

While Rick Nelson never ranked alongside Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, or Carl Perkins (he was too much a product of Hollywood early in his career to completely overcome its influence--either in sound or public perception), his material has stood up surprisingly well in the ensuing decades. Nelson had a lovely, seductive voice, and his keen professional choice to utilize ace session musicians (some of whom had helped craft the rockabilly sound Nelson emulated) gave his work a great boost.

But Nelson also had a lot of great tunes--including certifiable classics like "Travelin' Man" and "Lonesome Town"-- in his stable. While Nelson fans will likely quibble that some of their favorites have been left out, the set list of this 20-track GREATEST HITS covers a lot of them. Sadly, the set gives short shrift to his country-rock-flavored work with the Stone Canyon Band (it does include Nelson's latter-day signature tune "Garden Party"); still, fans looking for a concise overview of Nelson's hits will do well to pick this up.

There's nothing more frustrating than an excellent retrospective that nevertheless has a serious shortcoming. Such is the case in Capitol's near-definitive 2002 Rick Nelson compilation, Greatest Hits, which has so many hits and so many great songs, it's easy to believe upon a glance that they're all here. But they're not. Most egregiously, "Waiting in School," the flip side of "Stood Up" (which made it perhaps the greatest rock & roll single ever, as no less of an authority than Cub Koda stated), is not here, but such classic sides as "If You Can't Rock Me," "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It," and "String Along," among others, aren't here, along with good cuts from his recordings with the Stone Canyon Band. Of course, since this is a Capitol release called Greatest Hits, it's little surprise that it doesn't cover the Stone Canyon Band, but the absence of "Waiting in School" is enough to keep this from bliss. Even so, it's essential because it contains the great majority of Nelson's great songs, and because he really was one of the best of the first generation of rockers. Perhaps not a trailblazer nor a genius on the level of either Chuck Berry or the Everlys, but one of the greatest pure singers of his time, fronting a crackerjack band and singing his peerless material with a conviction overshadowed only by Elvis. And, unlike Elvis, he was one of the legions of teens that wished he was Elvis, giving his music a distinctive edge, even if he was backed by unflappable pros. And that's something he didn't lose in his career -- he was always a superior interpreter with impeccable taste, which is evident by the two Stone Canyon Band cuts that close this collection (including his comeback classic, "Garden Party"). Much of what Rick Nelson cut is enjoyable, a lot of it is worth hearing, but Greatest Hits comes as close as any single disc could to capturing his greatest -- even if it's missing one of his greatest songs. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize