- Drew Nelson (musician)
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Drew Nelson 
Drew Nelson (right) and Back Alley John, Byward Market, Ottawa, 1983Background information Born 1959 Origin Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Genres Blues Occupations Blues singer, songwriter, guitarist Instruments Guitar Years active 1976 - present Associated acts Back Alley John Revue
Drew Nelson Band
Dutch Mason
Sue FoleyDrew Nelson is a Canadian blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and recording artist. Nelson is particularly known for his slide guitar playing. He has been playing professionally for over thirty years.
Contents
History
Drew Nelson has based his music career primarily in Ottawa, Ontario. His professional career commenced in the 1970s, particularly as a result of his association with the late blues singer and harmonica player Back Alley John[1] (d. 2006), where Nelson was the lead guitarist in and co-founder of the Back Alley John Revue.[2] Both Nelson and John were instrumental in developing the career of Sue Foley, whose professional career commenced as a sixteen year-old singer in the Back Alley John Revue.
Drew Nelson in 2009 at Irene's Pub in Ottawa
The Back Alley John Revue, formed in 1980, initially played in Ottawa clubs and busked on the streets of Ottawa during the early 1980s, particularly in Ottawa's Byward Market, playing blues for passersby in front of the historic Chateau Lafayette House tavern.[3]
Nelson's solo career commenced when the Back Alley John Revue broke up in 1986, followed by the relocation of John to Calgary, Alberta.[2][4]
Nelson achieved early success as a solo artist when "Nothing to Show", an award-winning song originally recorded with the Back Alley John Revue[5] and later recorded by the Drew Nelson Band, was selected for inclusion in the 1991 Saturday Night Blues compilation album of Canadian blues music. The album won the 1992 Juno Award for Best Roots and Traditional Album of the Year.[6]
During this period, Nelson and his band played and recorded with Canadian blues artist Dutch Mason. Four songs written by Nelson[7] appeared on Mason's 1992 album, You Can't Have Everything, which Nelson also produced.[2] The album was nominated for a 1994 Juno Award for Best Blues or Gospel Album.[8] Over several years, Nelson and his band either opened or acted as the backing band for such artists as B.B. King, Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Little Richard, Eric Burdon and Taj Mahal.[2]
After a period of self-imposed semi-retirement, Nelson and a reconfigured band returned to performing in 2009.[9]
Discography
The Drew Nelson Band
- 2006 30 Odd Years (Capon)
- 2001 Just Because (Capon)
- 1994 Mr. Nelson's Neighbourhood (Capon)[10]
- 1990 The Honeymoon's Over (Capon)
- 1989 The Drew Nelson Band (Capon)[11]
Compilation Inclusions; Contributions to Others
- 2006 Saturday Night Blues: 20 Years (CBC[12]
- 2001 25 Years of Stony Plain (Stony Plain[13]
- 1997 Absolute Blues, Vol. 2 (Stony Plain)[13]
- 1996 20 Years of Stony Plain (Stony Plain)[14]
- 1992 Dutch Mason, You Can't Have Everything (Stony Plain)[15]
- 1992 Saturday Night Blues (Stony Plain/CBC)[16]
- 1983 Share CHEZ 83[17]
References
- ^ Born John Carl David Wilson; see Back Alley John.
- ^ a b c d Biography of Drew Nelson www.drewnelson.ca.
- ^ Built in 1849, initially as a small luxury hotel, the Chateau Lafayette House is Ottawa's oldest tavern. See Sarah Rogers, Centre of attention. Ottawa Sun, January 15, 2005.
- ^ In 1988, to be close to a brother in Calgary, following major health challenges. John thereafter developed his playing and recording career in Calgary, which continued until his death in 2006; see Back Alley John.
- ^ "Nothing To Show", by the Back Alley John Revue (though credited to "Back Alley John"), is found on the Share CHEZ 83 compilation album, sponsored by an Ottawa radio station, CHEZ-FM. See Canadian Spaces Playlist, July 1, 2006.
- ^ Certain biographies of Nelson describe him as having written or imply that he wrote a Juno award-winning song. See, for example, Biography of Drew Nelson www.drewnelson.ca, which also erroneously dates the award as 1991. Such descriptions would appear to be inaccurate. The 1992 Juno award was for the compilation, not for any individual song within the compilation. Status of song clarified in Drew Nelson Career Highlights; www.drewnelson.ca.
- ^ "You Can't Have Everything", "Going Going Gone", "I Must Be Crazy" and "Hock My Ring". See Dutch Mason Discography; www.chebucto.ns.ca.
- ^ The award, known since 2004 as the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year, was initiated in 1994. You Can't Have Everything lost to Colin Linden's South At Eight, North At Nine.
- ^ Discussion of Drew Nelson appearance at 22nd Ottawa R & B Festival, November, 2009, Ottawa Blues This Week, November 23, 2009; www.ottawablues.blogspot.com.
- ^ Also bootlegged in Europe as Doncha Darken My Door. See Notice of complaint by Capon Records; www.caponrecords.ottawamusicscene.com.
- ^ According to broadcaster Brian Murphy, the album is considered "to be one of the best homegrown albums ever released". Comments in relation to The Drew Nelson Band; www.drewnelson.ca.
- ^ Performing with Dutch Mason at the Ottawa Bluesfest, 2001, "Walkin' Blues".
- ^ a b Songwriting, playing and production credits for "I Must Be Crazy", by Dutch Mason, from You Can't Have Everything.
- ^ Songwriting, playing and production credits for "Going, Going, Gone", by Dutch Mason, from You Can't Have Everything.
- ^ Songwriting, playing and production credits.
- ^ The Drew Nelson Band, "Nothing to Show".
- ^ The Back Alley John Revue (Drew Nelson, lead guitar), "Nothing to Show".
External links
Categories:- Musicians from Ottawa
- Canadian blues musicians
- Canadian blues guitarists
- Canadian male singers
- Canadian songwriters
- Living people
- 1959 births
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