David Nelson | |
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Background information | |
Born |
Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
June 12, 1943
Origin | San Francisco Bay Area |
Genres | Rock, country rock |
Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
Instruments | |
Years active | Early 1960s – present |
Associated acts | New Riders of the Purple Sage, David Nelson Band, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, Phil Lesh and Friends |
Website | nelsonband |
Notable instruments | |
Fender Telecaster |
David Nelson (born June 12, 1943, in Seattle, Washington, U.S.) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He is perhaps best known as a co-founder and longtime member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage.
Although he started his musical career playing folk and bluegrass music (most notably as a member of The Wildwood Boys with Jerry Garcia) Nelson is possibly best known as one of the original members of psychedelic country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. After playing lead guitar with the New Riders from the late sixties until the early 1980s, Nelson left the band to pursue other musical opportunities which included a stint on Broadway as a member of the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and some time touring with Al Rapone and the Zydeco Express.
In the mid 1990s, Nelson formed his own group, the critically acclaimed David Nelson Band (aka DNB), whose original members included Bill Laymon (New Riders, Jefferson Starship, Harmony Grits, Gypsy Cowboy Band) on bass, Barry Sless (Cowboy Jazz, Phil Lesh and Friends, Kingfish) on lead and pedal steel guitar, Michael "Mookie" Siegel (Kingfish, Phil Lesh and Friends, Kettle Joe's Psychedelic Swamp Revue) on keyboards and accordion, and Arthur Steinhorn (Cowboy Jazz) on drums. Later on, drumming duties were shared by Charlie Crane, Greg Anton (Zero) and Jimmy Sanchez (Flying Other Brothers). Currently working under the name David Nelson Band, the lineup now includes Pete Sears (original Jefferson Starship, Hot Tuna, Rod Stewart) on bass and keyboards, and John Molo (Phil Lesh & Friends, Bruce Hornsby and the Range, John Fogerty) on drums.