Sandy Nelson

Sandy Nelson was among the small group of musicians who scored a top ten instrument hit record when he recorded "Teen Beat" in 1959.Sandy Nelson

Sand Nelson was born in Santa Monica, California to Lloyd and Lydia Nelson on December 1, 1938. As a teenager he took lessons on a variety of instruments. Influenced by legendary percussionist, Earl Palmer, Nelson concentrated on the drums. He played with jazz combos until he met Kip Tyler. Tyler's band that included Bruce Johnson, who would play with the Beach Boys. Through Johnson, Nelson met Phil Specter and played on "To Know Him Is To Love Him."

Nelson attended University High School with Jan Berry and Dean Torrence, who later became recording stars as Jan and Dean, and Kim Fowley.

As a session drummer, Nelson played on several hit singles including the Teddy Bears' "To Know Him Is To Love Him" (1958), The Hollywood Argyles' "Alley Oop" (1960) and Kathy Young and the Innocents' "A Thousand Stars" (1960).

In 1959, Fowley produced Nelson's first recording, "Geronimo" by the Renegades (a band made up of Nelson, Richard Podolor, Bruce Johnston, and songwriter Nick Venet). Although the single flopped on the national charts, it charted in some of the Mid West markets. When drummer Cozy Cole hit with "Topsy" in 1958, Nelson was encouraged In the summer of 1959 Preston Epps had a best selling single with "Bongo Rock" on Original Sound Records, a label owned by L.A. deejay Art Laboe. Laboe ran the Starla label,  for which Kip Tyler recorded "Lets Monkey Around." At that session, Nelson approached Laboe with a demo of a drum instrumental. "Teen Beat" was recorded at the next session with backing with Bruce Johnson on the piano and Richie Podolor on the guitar. Issued on Original Sound Records, "Teen Beat" was an instant hit

His instrumental recording "Teen Beat", on Original Sound Records, rose to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.Subsequently, he signed with the Imperial label and pounded out two more Top 40 hits, "Let There Be Drums", which went to number 7 on the Hot 100, and "Drums Are My Beat". All three were instrumentals (a feat rarely repeated).

Near the end of 1963, Nelson was in a motorcycle accident.he injuries necessitated amputation of his right foot and part of that leg. He came back a better drummer and remained with Imperial until 1969. Nonetheless, Nelson continued to record into the early 1970s, releasing two or three albums a year, consisting of cover versions of popular hits plus a few original compositions.

Sandy Nelson died in Las Vegas February 14, 2022 from complication from a stroke in 2017, at the age of 83.