David Nelson Discography
David Nelson was a founder member of the New Riders Of The Purple Sage and toured with the Dead and NRPS during the early 1970s. During this period he sat in with the Dead on a number of occasions and contributed to three Grateful Dead LPs; Aoxomoxoa, Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. Nelson performed with Garcia in the early 1960s in a variety of bands including the Wildwood Boys and the Black Mountain Boys. He was a member of the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band in 1987. Nelson left the NRPS in 1982 but continued to perform and record with others including Frank Wakefield, a number of Zydeco bands and the Dead Ringers. In the mid 1990s he released his first recording under his own name and formed the David Nelson Band. In the 2000s he rejoined the New Riders.
Additions, corrections and comments are welcome
Solo or group leader recordings : albums
New Riders Of The Purple Sage : albums/singles/compilations | various artists compilations
Playing on other recordings: albums/singles | various artists compilations
Solo or group leader recordings
 Limited Edition, David Nelson, 1996
Keeper Of The Key, David Nelson Band, 1997
Visions Under The Moon, David Nelson Band, 1999
High Adventure In Japan (Soundtrack CD), David Nelson Band, 1999
Aloha Nugs, David Nelson & Friends, 2008
Crystal Bay Live, David Nelson Band, 2010?
The Wheel: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Garcia, Various Artists, 2011
Once in a Blue Moon, David Nelson Band, 2014
Movin' Right Along, David Nelson Band, 2020
Man Overboard, David Nelson Band, 2020
Klondike Blues, David Nelson Band, 2020
New Riders Of The Purple Sage: albums/singles/compilations
New Riders of the Purple Sage, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1971
Louisiana Lady / Last Lonely Eagle, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1971
Powerglide, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1972
Gypsy Cowboy, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1972
I Don't Know You / Garden Of Eden, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1972
I Don't Need No Doctor / Runnin' Back To You, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1972
Dim Lights, Thick Smoke and Loud, Loud Music / Rainbow, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1972
The Adventures of Panama Red, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1973
 Groupie / She's No Angel, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1973
Home, Home on the Road, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1974
Panama Red / Cement, Clay and Glass, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1974
Brujo, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1974
You Angel You / Parson Brown, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1974
Oh, What a Mighty Time, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1975
New Riders, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1976
Fifteen Days Under The Hood / Don't Put Her Down, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1976
Dead Flowers / She's Looking Better Every Beer, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1976
Best of the New Riders of the Purple Sage, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1976
Who Are Those Guys?, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1977
(Just) Another Night In Reno / Home Grown, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1977
Love Has Strange Ways / Red Hot Women and Ice Cold Beer, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1977
Marin County Line, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1978 (1977?)
Feelin' All Right, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1981
Night For Making Love / Fly Right, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1981
Full Moon At Midnight / No Other Love, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1981
Before Time Began/The Backwards Tapes, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1986
Vintage NRPS, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1986
Live on Stage, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1992?
The Relix Bay Rock Shop, No. 1, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1992
Relix's Best of the Early NRPS, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1995
Relix's Best of New NRPS, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1997
Wasted Tasters, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 1998, Raven
Take a Red, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 19??
Gypsy Cowboy/Panama Red, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2000
The New Riders Of The Purple Sage / Powerglide, The New Riders Of The Purple Sage, 2002
Worcester, MA, 4/4/1973, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2003
Boston Music Hall, 12/5/1972, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2003
Veneta, 8/27/1972, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2004
Home, Home on the Road / Brujo, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2004
Armadillo World HQ Austin, TX, 6/13/1975, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2005
Cactus Juice, The New Riders Of The Purple Sage, 2006
Live New Year's Eve 2006, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2007
Wanted: Live at Turkey Trot, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2007
Stonybrook, NY 03/17/1973, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2007
12/31/77 Winterland, San Francisco, CA, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2009
Where I Come From, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, 2009
Where I Come From: Radio Mixes and Live Bonus, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, 2009
Setlist: The Very Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage Live, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, 2011
Instant Armadillo Blues: Best of 1971-1975, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, 2011
17 Pine Avenue, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, 2012
Original Album Classics, The New Riders Of The Purple Sage, 2017
Thanksgiving In New York City, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2019
Dawn of the New Riders of the Purple Sage, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2020
Lyceum '72, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2022
Hempsteader, New Riders of the Purple Sage, 2024
New Riders Of The Purple Sage: on various artist compilations
Fillmore : The Last Days, Various Artists, 1972
Music People, Various Artists, 1972?
Welcome The Rock People, Various Artists, 1972?
World's Greatest Rock Festival (Reunion '74), Various Artists, 1974
The Heavyweights, Various Artists, 1975
Stetson Salutes Country Music: Hats Off To Country, Various Artists, 1981
Relix Sampler #2, Various Artists, 1989
Rock Classics of the 70s, Various Artists, 1989
Rock Classics of the 70s: Vol. 2, Various Artists, 1989
Songs Of Dylan: As Performed By Fifteen Great Artists, Various Artists, 1989
Songs Of Bob Dylan (Start label), Various Artists, 1989
Country Rock, Vol. 1: Freewheelin', Various Artists, 1993
Relix Sampler (Europe), Various Artists, 1993
Peaceful Easy Feeling, Various Artists, 1994
Rebel Rock, Various Artists, 1995
The Very Best Of Country Rock, Various Artists, 1995
Greatest Hits of the Seventies, Vol. 1-3, Various Artists, 1995
Hillbilly Fever, Vol 5 - The Best of Country Rock, Various Artists, 1996
Heroes of Country Music, Vol. 5, Various Artists, 1996
The Best Of Country Rock, Various Artists, 1996
The Relix Bay Rock Shop, No. 9: Tribute To Jerry Garcia, Various Artists, 1997
Rock The Planet: 70'S Southern Rock, Various Artists, 1997
Easy Riders, Vol. 3, Various Artists, 1997
Southern_Nights: Highway Rock, Various Artists, 1998
Feel The Buzz: Hit Time, Various Artists, 1998
Made in America, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 1998
Made in America, Vol. 2, Various Artists, 1998
Dead Delites, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 1998
The Country-Rockin' Trust Presents...Hickory Wind, Various Artists, 1998
Made in America, Vols. 1 & 2, Various Artists, 1999
Sounds of the Seventies: FM Rock, Vol. 3, Various Artists, 199?
Dead Delites, Vol. 4, Various Artists, 2000
Desperado: The Best Of Country Rock, Various Artists, 2002
Kufala Sampler 5: The Finest In Authorized Bootlegs, Various Artists, 2003
Music from the Vietnam War Years, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 2004
Southern Cookin': All Time Greatest Southern Rock Hits, Various Artists, 2006
Pure... Psychedelic Rock, Various Artists, 2011
Playing on other recordings: albums/singles/compilations
Aoxomoxoa, Grateful Dead, 1969
Dupree's Diamond Blues / Cosmic Charlie, Grateful Dead, 1969 (possibly)
Workingman's Dead, Grateful Dead, 1970
American Beauty, Grateful Dead, 1970
Slewfoot, David Rea, 1973
Skeletons From The Closet, Grateful Dead, 1974 (possibly)
Pistol Packin' Mama, The Good Old Boys, 1976
What A Long Strange Trip It's Been, Grateful Dead, 1977 (possibly)
Bluegrass, The Good Old Boys, 1978
End Of The Rainbow, Frank Wakefield, 1980
Rock Columbia, Robert Hunter, 1986
A Wing And A Prayer, Matt Kelly, 1987
Almost Acoustic, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, 1988
Goodbye, The Usual Suspects, 1989
American Beauty / Workingman's Dead, Grateful Dead, 198?
Zydeco To Go, Al Rapone, 1990
Frank Wakefield & Good Old Boys, Frank Wakefield & Good Old Boys, 1992
She's No Angel, Frank Wakefield & Good Old Boys, 1992
Dead Ringers, Dead Ringers, 1994
Blue Morning, Toni Brown, 1996
Don't Stop The Music (Arrets Pas La Musique), Allen Fontenot & The Country Cajuns, 1997
Blues Stay Away From Me, Frank Wakefield, 19??, Takoma
The Golden Road (1965-1973), Grateful Dead, 2001
The Very Best Of The Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead, 2003
Pure Jerry: Lunt-Fontanne, NYC, 10/31/87, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band/Jerry Garcia Band, 2004
Pure Jerry: Lunt-Fontanne, The Best Of The Rest, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band/Jerry Garcia Band, 2004
For Rex : The Black Tie Dye Ball, The Zen Tricksters and Special Guests, 2006
Eternally Grateful, Grateful Dead, 2007
Crossing The Line, Bill Cutler, 2008
Road Trips: Vol 3, Number 3: Fillmore East, 5/15/70, Grateful Dead, 2010
Songs of the Grateful Dead: A Tribute to Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter, Jesse McReynolds & Friends, 2010
Ragged But Right, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, 2010
On Broadway: Act One: Oct 28, 1987, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band / Jerry Garcia Band, 2015
Get Together: Banana Recalls Youngbloods Classics, Lowell Levinger, 2015
November 5, 2015, The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, Phil Lesh & Friends, 2015
November 6, 2015, The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, Phil Lesh & Friends, 2015
November 7, 2015, The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, Phil Lesh & Friends, 2015
Christmas Time's A-Comin', Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, 2016
Folk Time, Hart Valley Drifters, 2016
Good Old Boys Live: Drink Up And Go Home, Good Old Boys, 2018
Before The Dead, Jerry Garcia, 2018
Acoustic on the Eel, Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, 2019
Aoxomoxoa (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), Grateful Dead, 2019
Family Business, Ronnie Penque, 2019
The Story Of The Grateful Dead, Grateful Dead, 2020
Workingmans Dead (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), Grateful Dead, 2020
Workingmans Dead (50th Anniversary LP), Grateful Dead, 2020
American Beauty 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition, Grateful Dead, 2020
American Beauty 50th Anniv. Picture Disc LP, Grateful Dead, 2020
American Beauty 50th Anniv. Colored Vinyl LP, Grateful Dead, 2020
Ragged But Right (2 LP), Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, 2022
With others: on various artist compilations
David Nelson's exact contribution to Aoxomoxoa is not known. Compilations that include material from Aoxomoxoa are included below though it's possible that the tracks on the compilations do not involve him.
His contribution to Workingman's Dead is known - he plays on Cumberland Blues. His contribution to American Beauty is partly known - he plays on Box Of Rain. However American Beauty also credits the New Riders Of The Purple Sage. It's not known if this means that members of NRPS, specifically Nelson, played on any other tracks. For the purposes of the compilations below it is assumed that Nelson played only on the tracks specified on these two albums.
The 1969 Warner/Reprise Record Show, Various Artists, 1969 (possibly)
For Dead Heads, Various Artists, 1976
Bluegrass Suspects, Various Artists, 1990
Relix's Best Of Truck Driving Songs, Various Artists, 1997
Dead Delites, Vol. 1, Various Artists, 1998
Dead Delites, Vol. 2, Various Artists, 1998
Dead Delites, Vol. 3, Various Artists, 1998
Sunset Strip To Haight-Ashbury, Various Artists, 2012
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New Riders Of The Purple Sage
Adventures Of Panama Red
Home Home On The Road
Brujo
Pistol Packin' Mama
Who Are Those Guys?
Rock Columbia
Almost Acoustic
She's No Angel
Dead Ringers
Limited Edition
Keeper Of The Key
Visions Under The Moon
Pure Jerry: Lunt Fontanne
Songs Of The Grateful Dead
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