Sandy Nelson

Sander Lloyd Nelson (December 1, 1938 – February 14, 2022) was an American drummer. Nelson, one of the best-known rock and modern jazz drummers of the late 1950s and early 1960s, had several solo instrumental Top 40 hits and released over 30 albums. He was a session drummer on many other well-known hits. He lived in Boulder City, Nevada, where he continued to experiment with music on keyboards and piano.

Sander Lloyd Nelson was born in Santa Monica, California to Lloyd and Lydia Nelson on December 1, 1938. Nelson attended University High School with Jan Berry and Dean Torrence, who later became recording stars as Jan and Dean, and Kim Fowley. 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. The song featured in the 1959 film Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow released by American International Pictures.

After gaining respect 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).

His instrumental recording "Teen Beat", on Original Sound Records, rose to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. It sold more than 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". In December 1961, the British music magazine NME, reported that "Let There Be Drums" had gone Top 10 in both the United Kingdom and United States. All three were instrumentals (a feat rarely repeated). Guitar on these hits was played by co-writer Richard Podolor, later a songwriter and record producer.

Near the end of 1963, Nelson was in a motorcycle accident. The injuries necessitated amputation of his right foot and part of that leg. 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.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.