Well, I think a lot of it is in feeling, because he had a great feel for the type of songs he sang and what he enjoyed singing, as well as a soft, smooth voice. There were just certain things you couldn’t talk about, he was easy to blush, a lot of times when I’ve done interviews, people would ask, “How come Rick closes his eyes when he sings?” If you met him for the first time, your impression would be, ‘Boy, this guy is really quiet and shy’. But he was the type of guy that once you got to know him, you understood more about his personality. Rick was a wonderful, great guy, quiet, and sorta on the shy side. Tell us a little about Rick’s personality. Bob gave us his blessing and said, “Boys, I’m gonna miss you.” We were young and things were going fast, with a lot of things happening. He said, “Boys, that’s a great thing, I wish I could offer you more.”īut Bob was a great guy to work with and a great talent. He wasn’t really thrilled about it, but Bob was happy for us. I lived with Rick for the first year or two we worked together, and the Nelson family invited me into their home up in Camino Palmero in Hollywood.ĭid Bob Luman take the news of your impending exit very well?īob was happy for us, he was happy for me, that Rick was interested in hiring me to be his guitar player. He wanted me to come out the next day (laughing), I said, “Wait a minute! I’ve gotta make arrangements and get all my stuff together here.” I was only eighteen years old and I’m leaving home, you know. Rick got on the phone and we talked for an hour or two. Ozzie said, “If you accept it, I’ll send you a telegram, just sign the telegram and send it back to me.” He invited me to come back and be Rick’s lead guitar player, which I thought was pretty cool. I was home maybe two weeks, and I got a phone call from Ozzie. Ozzie offered us a lot more money to stay over and do the shows, but we said, “No, we wanna go home.” So that’s what we did. Ozzie wanted to film a lot more songs and show-related stuff, but we got homesick and wanted to return to Louisiana and be home for the Christmas holidays. Rick turned out to be a great guy to be around and play music with.
#RICKY KING RUSSELL BAND TV#
He said, “Do you boys wanna do something on the TV show, maybe do a couple of songs?” Everybody said, “Yeah, sure, why not?” This was actually before I joined Rick as his lead guitar player. We met them and we played a little bit for them, and Ozzie loved it.
Later, we were in one of those little bungalows, setting up and playing, when Ozzie, Harriet, David, Wally (portrayed by actor Skip Young), and all the gang came over. Rick recommended we bring our instruments, so James and I immediately went over and met his mother and dad, along with everybody involved with the show. It was from Rick Nelson, who had invited me over to the General Service Studios. When he came back inside, he noticed a telegram hanging on the door, so he grabbed it and brought it in. We had a home out in the valley in Tarzana, out in Canoga Park, so the next day James Kirkland jumped up and ran outside to get the newspaper. Who is that?” Chudd and Haskell replied, “That’s Bob Luman & The Shadows from Louisiana,” so Rick then inquired, “Would you mind if I go in and say hello and listen to ’em a little bit?” They said, “Nah, go on in.” So Rick came in and listened to us play for about three hours, and we just had a great time. Haskell was a musical arranger who also worked for Imperial Records and Ozzie on the television show doing recordings and such.Īnyway, Rick came in on business and said, “I hear music in the next room. Lew Chudd, the owner of Imperial Records, let us use his office, and Jimmie Haskell was also present. We were in Hollywood, California, rehearsing a song called “Red Hot,” a Billy Lee Riley song. Bob’s group was called The Shadows, with James Kirkland on bass. I was working with a guy named Bob Luman, who was on Imperial Records, the same record label as Rick. How did Rick Nelson enter your life in summer 1957? Regardless, being called “Rick” was his choice. Oh, tricky Ricky, he always went by Rick, although during the early run of The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, he was “Ricky”.
Interview was originally published here, including slideshows and videos.īefore we dive in, should it be “Ricky” or “Rick?” This interview was published on the 25th anniversary of Rick Nelson’s death: December 31, 2010.
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