Ken Nelson (United States record producer)

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Ken Nelson (January 19, 1911 – January 6, 2008) was an American record producer, born in Caledonia, Minnesota.

Nelson, who was in charge of the A&R division of Capitol Records for many years, is credited for being one of the behind-the-scenes figures responsible for country music's growth during the post-World War II era. During his many years with Capitol's division in Hollywood, California, he produced many of the genre's most notable and successful hits, by artists including Gene Vincent, Ferlin Husky, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Jean Shepard, Hank Thompson and many others.

Nelson was also the record producer for virtually every comedy recording by parodist/satirist Stan Freberg throughout the 1950s, the biggest being "St. George and the Dragonet."

According to an extensive chapter on Nelson, Rich Kienzle's book "Southwest Shuffle" (Routledge, 2003) based on interviews with the producer, Nelson prouduced the first live album ever done by a country singer, Hank Thompson's "Live At the Golden Nugget" in 1961.

Nelson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. He died in Somis, California, aged 96.

[edit] References

• Ken Nelson at Country Music Hall of Fame page.
• Ken Nelson, Hall of Fame Member, Dies at 96
• Whiteside, Jonny (1998). "Ken Nelson". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 373-4.
• Obituary in The Times

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