| The Memphis Sessions | |
| Type: | Studio |
| Artist: | Rick Nelson |
| Cover: | The Memphis Sessions (Rick Nelson album).JPG |
| Released: | May 1986 |
| Genre: | Rock and roll, rockabilly |
| Length: | 29:29 |
| Label: | Epic |
| Producer: | Steve Buckingham |
| Prev Title: | All My Best |
| Prev Year: | 1985 |
| Year: | 1986 |
| Chronology: | Rick Nelson |
The Memphis Sessions is American musician Rick Nelson's final studio album.[1] [2] It was released posthumously in May 1986. Nelson recorded it in 1978–79 in Memphis, Tennessee. A few months after Nelson's death, CBS hired Nashville producer Steve Buckingham to replace the original drum and lead guitar tracks and remix the material.[3] Guitar player John Beland thought that the record label ruined Nelson's material.[4]
The album charted for four weeks on the Billboard Top Country Albums, peaking at No. 62.
The Chicago Times wrote: "The result transforms inspired work that no doubt would have excited Nelson fans into a package that should delight anybody who enjoys classic rock and roll, heartfelt vocal work and good music-making. Buckingham's technique brings Nelson's voice out front as never before."[5] The Ottawa Citizen opined that "Nelson's vocals have never sounded better on such rockabilly songs as 'Rave On' and 'That's All Right Mama'."[6] The Atlanta Journal-Constitution concluded that "the backing, some of which was added after Nelson's death, is uninspired."[7]