The Definitive Collection 1957-62

Ricky Nelson, whose professional identity became Rick Nelson during the period covered by this collection, was one of artists to emerge in the immediate aftermath of the post-rock ‘n’ roll explosion singers who took advantage of the record industry’s seeking after good-looking teenage stars to sell a softer form of the new music to the mass teen audience, and he was hugely successful. With the advantage of coming from a showbiz family established on TV, he scored with his first single, and was able to promote his subsequent singles through the weekly sitcom, so over the course of the next few years enjoyed a string of hits with records that have become much-loved landmarks of the genre, and which were unforgettable reference points in many a baby-boomer’s teenage years, from “It’s Late”, There’ll Never be Anyone Else But You” and “Poor Little Fool” to “Hello Mary Lou” and beyond. This great value 108-track 4-CD set comprises the A & B sides of all his US and UK singles up to 1962, and all the tracks on the seven LPs he released during that time as well, so is a comprehensive and thoroughly enjoyable must-have collection for every Rick Nelson aficionado.