Sherrill Nielsen "A Name I Highly Treasure" (Calvary Echo Records, 1962-?) (LP)
Sherrill Nielsen's first full album, recorded just after he completed his stint in the US Air Force -- while he was stationed at the SAC command center in Omaha, he was a featured soloist in the base's official military band. Alas, this early album includes no information about the musicians backing him, though it was recorded in Nashville on an indie label that later became simply Echo Records. Nielsen may have recorded some singles prior to this.
Sherrill Nielsen "No Burdens Pass Through" (Echo Records, 1964-?) (LP)
Sherrill Nielsen "The Top Tenor Of Sherrill Nielsen" (Heart Warming Records, 1965-?) (LP)
Jake Hess & The Imperials "Jake Hess And The Imperials" (Skylite Records, 1964) (LP)
(Produced by Brock Speer)
One of Sherrill Nielsen's most prolific periods of work was with the Imperials, or more properly with the group's first incarnation with its original leader, Jake Hess & The Imperials. Between 1964-65, he recorded at least ten albums with the legendary southern gospel ensemble, in a stable lineup that included Sherrill Nielsen as the group's tenor, Jake Hess singing lead, Armond Morales (bass vocals), Gary McSpadden (baritone), and songwriter Harry Slaughter on piano. As with many southern gospel albums of the era, this was recorded at the RCA studios in Nashville, with an anonymous cohort of studio musicians backing the vocalists, with most performances anchored by Henry Slaughter's bouncy, slightly manic piano plunking. It's quite possible Nielsen was on other Imperials albums as well, but these are the ones I'm aware of for now.
(Jake Hess &) The Imperials "Introducing The Illustrious Imperials" (Heart Warming Records, 1964) (LP)
Worth noting here: several of the albums canonically considered being by "Jake Hess And The Imperials" only bear the band's shorter name, though southern gospel historians usually list the records with Hess still in the band under the group's original name, despite what the album art says. As far as I know that's the case with all the albums featuring Sherrill Nielsen on tenor: the album cover might say The Imperials, but it should be considered a Jake Hess & The Imperials record. Don't ask me... I just work here. Anyway, this disc has the same lineup as above, as do all the albums below. Obviously there are studio musicians filling out the sound (on organ, guitar, etc.) and though unnamed they were probably a mix of secular country studio pros, and gospel professionals from organizations such as The Speer Family or the Goss Family, who did a lot of behind-the-scenes studio work. I'm sure somebody knows more details about this, but albums of this vintage that list the sidemen are, sadly, few and far between.
(Jake Hess &) The Imperials "Fireside Hymns" (Heart Warming Records, 1964) (LP)
Jake Hess & The Imperials "Blends And Rhythms" (Heart Warming Records, 1964) (LP)
(Jake Hess &) The Imperials "Talent Times Five" (Heart Warming Records, 1965) (LP)
(Jake Hess &) The Imperials "Slaughter Writes, Imperials Sing" (Heart Warming Records, 1965) (LP)
(Produced by Chuck Seitz)
Jake Hess & The Imperials "The Happy Sounds Of Jake Hess And The Imperials" (Heart Warming Records, 1965) (LP)
Jake Hess & The Imperials "He Was A Preachin' Man" (Heart Warming Records, 1965) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Benson & Chuck Seitz)
Jake Hess & The Imperials "Slightly Regal" (Heart Warming Records, 1965) (LP)
Jake Hess & The Imperials "Live From Charlotte, NC: 1964" (2008)
Though released four decades later, this archival album presents a live concert with the Nielsen-era lineup of the Imperials, performing live in North Carolina at the height of the group's power.
The Statesmen "Featuring..." (Skylite Records, 1970) (LP)
The spotlight is thrown on several soloists associated with The Statesmen, including Sherrill Nielsen, who is spotlighted on two tracks, "Impossible Dream" and "Gonna Shout Hallelujah." I'm not sure if this LP was one contemporary recording, or a best-of set culled from various albums...
Sherrill Nielsen "New Dimensions" (Woodstock Records, 1970-?) (LP)
(Produced by Joel E. Gentry & Ben Hall)
A groovy, hippie-inflected pop-rock gospel set mixing standards like "How Great Thou Art" and "Where No One Stands Alone" with plausibly crypto-Christian pop tunes such as Joe South's "Games People Play" and "What The World Needs Now," as well as some of Nielsen's go-to numbers, songs that appear on several of his albums, such as "Impossible Dream" and "Gonna Shout Hallelujah." The backing musicians aren't identified, but they lay down some playfully bluesy, reasonably funky rock riffs on organ and electric guitar, alongside the churchy piano and whatnot. (I do with I knew who the female backup singers were... as well as the steel player... Oh, well.) Anyway this starts out as a loose-limbed hip, youth-oriented set than his earlier southern gospel material, though to be sure, it soon shifts into plenty of corny, emotive numbers with plenty of Nielsen's trademark vocal showboating. Worth a spin; fits right in with his Elvis-years offerings.
Nielsen-Sumner-Baty (And Others) "Distilled Gospel" (BMC Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Duane Allen, Bob McCollum, Bud Billings & Skip Mitchell)
A trio formed by Tim Baty, Sherrill Nielsen, and Donnie Sumner, with instrumental backing by Billy Blackwood on drums, Tony Brown (piano and organ), Tommy Hensley (bass and rhythm guitar) and John Rich on lead guitar and pedal steel. This was essentially the group called Voice, which was a central part of he Elvis Presley road show around 1973-75, with the addition of Tony Brown, another veteran of the southern gospel scene who was backing the still-gospel Oak Ridge Boys at the time, as well as doing side performances with The Oaks Band. They apparently didn't record under the "Voice" name, outside of band credits on a ton of Elvis albums.
Elvis Presley "Today" (RCA Victor, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Felton Jarvis)
I'm not sure exactly when Sherrill Nielsen signed up as part of Elvis Presley's entourage, but Presley was reputed to be a big fan of Nielsen's southern gospel singing, and hired him as a backing vocalist for his touring show. Nielsen was a stalwart in the King's stage shows right through the end of Presley's career, and sang on several of his albums as well, often tagged simply as part of the "backing vocals," although he was given a pretty big role onstage, often playing directly off Presley himself.
Elvis Presley "Promised Land" (RCA Victor, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Felton Jarvis)
Elvis Presley "Moody Blue" (RCA Victor, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Felton Jarvis)
Elvis Presley "Elvis In Concert" (RCA Victor, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Felton Jarvis)
Sean Nielsen "For Once In My Life" (Adonda Records, 1977-?) (LP)
(Produced by Harrison Tyner & David McKinley)
This country-oriented album was recorded in Nashville, and seems to have come out while Presley was still alive, or not too long after he passed away. Although there's no release date, Nielsen's signing with manager Harrison Tyner got a plug in Billboard in the summer of '76, so I'd guess this was a 1977 release. The album includes secular material, including covers of pop-vocals hits such as "Killing Me Softly," and "You've Lost That Loving Feeling," and a wonderfully over-the-top rendition of "Delilah," which is a pretty over-the-top tune to begin with. Backing Nielsen is his own road band, called Voice, credited here as bassist Jim Green, Jay Johnson (keyboards), Gene Williams (guitar), and Mike Taylor on drums. [Also please note the change on later albums from "Sean" to "Shaun" Nielsen. Same guy.]
Shaun Nielsen "The Songs I Sang For Elvis" (Adonda Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Harrison Tyner & Les Ladd)
This double album wasn't quite an Elvis Presley tribute record, but it's pretty darn close... closer than most, if you think about it. Plenty of archival pictures inside the gatefold jacket, photos commemorating Nielsen's tenure as part of the Elvis Presley Vegas show, both guys up there on stage with the TCB band, both clad in crazy, outlandish outfits, and an obvious bond of affection between the two men. The songs are, indeed, drawn from Nielsen's repertoire of the time, ranging from gospel standards like "How Great Thou Art" and "In The Sweet By And By," to some more contemporary southern gospel material and a whole slew of bombastic, schmaltzy, emotive ballads, big, corny, brand name chestnuts like "Danny Boy," "Impossible Dream," and "It's Now Or Never," and even some slightly left-field soul tunes like "For Once In My Life" and "Killing Me Softly." Alas, Nielsen isn't reunited with his fellow Elvis alumni -- the TCB-ers had gone on to other gigs, such as backing Emmylou Harris and whatnot -- but there's a lot of top talent here nonetheless, including Nashvillers such as Harold Bradley, David Briggs, Pete Wade, Buddy Harman, Hank Strzelecki and others, as well as an ample string section and a flock of horn players. Although he later flirted with the country charts, this is really probably Shaun Nielsen's crowning work.
Shaun Nielsen "Shaun Nielsen" (MCA Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Larry Butler & Billy Sherrill)
A truly, horrendously awful album with Shaun Nielsen revealing a big jones for Roy Orbison (drawing heavily from the Orbison catalog, with songs like "Dream Baby" "Running Scared," and "Oh, Pretty Woman"). His showy, schmaltzy singing and the overproduced, overripe arrangements are a fatal combination -- Nielsen had the big belt buckle, the hat and the fringe jackets, but this isn't much of a country record -- more like "Gong Show" material. Where's Jo Anne Worley when you need her??
Shaun Nielsen "Elvis' Favorite Singer" (Audiograph Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Harrison Tyner)
Still capitalizing on his Elvis days, Nielsen works his way through some oldies and standards -- "Danny Boy," "How Great Thou Art," "The Impossible Dream" "In The Sweet By And By" and Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away" -- as well as some newer material, including the album's lead track, Jerry McBee's "Lights Of LA," a song salvaged from the soundtrack of a 1979 college-sorority exploitation flick called "H.O.T.S." (which, fyi, I have not seen...). "Lights Of LA" was also released as a single, and was one of three songs also included on the Audiograph Live album below.
Shaun Nielsen "Audiograph Alive" (Audiograph Records, 1982) (LP)
Where his first Audiograph album leaned heavily on pop vocals and southern gospel material, here Nielsen digs more into straight secular country, although still with an eye towards standards and big, showboat-y ballads. We're talking oldies like "Born To Lose," Floyd Tillman's "I Love You So Much It Hurts," and Charlie Rich's biggest hits, "Behind Closed Doors" and "Most Beautiful Girl In The World," with the even schmaltzier "It's Now Or Never" thrown in for good measure. Three of these songs were also included on the Audiograph album, above: Jimbeau Hinson's "Let Me Be The One," "Lights Of L.A.," and "Sweet Affection."
The Masters V "Featuring..." (Skylite Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Joel Gentry, Glen Riuef & Chip Young)
After mothballing his commercial country ambitions, Nielsen returned to the comforting arms of the southern gospel scene, joining Hovie Lister's late-career ensemble The Masters V, which was an all-star vocal quartet gathering veteran members of the Blackwood Brothers and The Statesmen Quartet. Nielsen replaced tenor Steve Warren, who was in the first edition of the group, rounding out a lineup that included Hovie Lister, James Blackwood, Jake Hess and J. D. Sumner, with backing from an unidentified Nashville studio crew. Nielsen's stint with the Masters V may have been his last big round of recording: also worth noting is that he retained his secular stage name of Shaun Nielsen, instead of reverting to his given name, which is what he built his career on back in the 'Sixties. Guess it paid off!
The Masters V "Live At The Joyful Noise" (Skylite Records, 1983) (LP)
The Masters V "The Legend Lives On" (Skylite Records, 1988)
The Masters V "Sing Award Winning Songs Of J.D. Sumner" (Skylite Records, 1988)
The Masters V "Superlative Bass JD Sumner" (1988)
Shaun Nielsen "There's A Fire Below" (Copyright Records, 1997)
(Produced by Rev. Shaun Nielsen)
Apparently his swan song, this four-song EP was recorded in Denmark along with a few European locals: Peter Bodker on piano and organ, Henrik Skriver (guitar), Henrik Svith (bass), Frank Thogersen on drums and the charmingly-named "Shaunspirations" providing backing vocals. All the songs are credited as Shaun Nielsen originals, including the closing track, "Taking Care Of Business," which presumably is a nod towards his Elvis days, with the TCB Band.
Gospel tenor Sherrill Nielsen (1942-2010) was a lad from Montgomery, Alabama who emerged as one of the star performers in several top southern gospel groups of the 1950s and '60s, including stints with The Imperials, The Plainsmen, The Speer Family, The Statesmen, and many other bands. Over the years he became one of the favorite singers of pop superstar Elvis Presley who brought Nielsen to Las Vegas and invited him to become part of his road show. In the late 1970s, after Presley's death, Nielsen embarked on a secular country career as "Shaun Nielsen," releasing a string of albums under that name between 1977-82, and a few scattered singles after that. Here's a quick look at his career...
