David Nelson

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Lore & Background

Nelson's career is defined by his deep roots in the Palo Alto folk scene. He started with The Wildwood Boys alongside Jerry Garcia, then moved to the New Delhi River Band. Unlike Garcia, who relocated to San Francisco to join The Warlocks (later the Grateful Dead), Nelson kept his group in East Palo Alto, establishing them as the house band at The Barn by late 1966. This group maintained a cult following through the Summer of Love until dissolving in early 1968. In 1969, while playing with ephemeral groups like High Country, Nelson was approached to join the reformed Big Brother and the Holding Company as lead guitarist. However, before auditions for Janis Joplin's replacement began, Garcia and John "Marmaduke" Dawson recruited him instead for their new psychedelic country rock venture: the New Riders of the Purple Sage.

In Their Own Story

From 1969 to 1982, Nelson served as the lead guitarist for the New Riders of the Purple Sage. After leaving in 1982 to pursue other opportunities, he joined the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band on Broadway and toured with Al Rapone and the Zydeco Express. In the mid-1990s, he formed his own critically acclaimed group, the David Nelson Band (DNB). Original members included Bill Laymon on bass, Barry Sless on lead and pedal steel guitar, Michael "Mookie" Siegel on keyboards, and Arthur Steinhorn on drums. Later, drumming duties were shared by Charlie Crane, Greg Anton, and Jimmy Sanchez. By 2007, the lineup featured Pete Sears on bass/keyboards and John Molo on drums. In 2005, Nelson re-formed the New Riders with Buddy Cage and Michael Falzarano. The band now features drummer Johnny Markowski and bassist Ronnie Penque, experiencing a resurgence in popularity.

Reader's Guide

Nelson's discography includes significant work with the New Riders of the Purple Sage from their self-titled debut in 1971 through albums like Powerglide (1972), Gypsy Cowboy (1972), and The Adventures of Panama Red (1973). He is well known as the lead singer on "Panama Red," a 1973 countercultural anthem. His solo work with the David Nelson Band began in 1996 with Limited Edition, followed by Keeper of the Key (1997), Visions Under the Moon (1999), High Adventure in Japan (1999), and Once in a Blue Moon (2014). He also performed as a guest artist on three Grateful Dead albums: Aoxomoxoa, Workingman's Dead, and American Beauty. In 2006, while recording with Jesse McReynolds in Nashville, Nelson played "Ripple" at the Grand Ole Opry, marking the first-ever Grateful Dead song performed there. He also co-founded The Papermill Creek Rounders with Lowell "Banana" Levenger.

Did You Know?

• David Nelson played the first-ever Grateful Dead song, "Ripple," on the Grand Ole Opry in 2006.
• He served as lead guitarist for Big Brother and the Holding Company briefly in 1969 before Janis Joplin's replacement was found.
• Nelson co-founded The Papermill Creek Rounders with Lowell "Banana" Levenger of The Youngbloods.
• In 2019, he released a previously unheard collaboration with lyricist Robert Hunter following the latter's passing.
• The New Delhi River Band remained in East Palo Alto while the Grateful Dead moved to the Haight-Ashbury district.