Editing Ricky Nelson (section)

=="Garden Party" and short-lived comeback==
[[File:Rick Nelson performing 1970.JPG|thumb|upright=1.2|Nelson performing on ''The Jim Nabors Show'' in 1970]]
In 1972, Nelson reached the Top 40 one last time with "[[Garden Party (Rick Nelson song)|Garden Party]]," a song he wrote in disgust after a [[Richard Nader]] [[Oldies]] Concert at [[Madison Square Garden]] where the audience booed, perhaps against some unrelated police action. However, Nelson may have felt that the reason was because he was playing new songs instead of just his old hits.<ref name="straightdope1" /> When he performed [[The Rolling Stones]]' "[[Honky Tonk Women]]," there was booing, said to be against police and not him.<ref name="straightdope1" /> He was watching the rest of the performance on a TV monitor backstage until Richard Nader finally convinced Nelson to return to the stage and play his "oldies." He returned to the stage and played his "oldies" and the audience responded with applause, according to Deborah Nader, President of Richard Nader Entertainment. He wanted to record an album featuring original material, but the single was released before the album because Nelson had not completed the entire ''Garden Party'' album yet. "Garden Party" reached No. 6 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] and #1 on the [[Adult Contemporary (chart)|''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart]] and was certified as a [[RIAA certification|gold single]]. The second single released from the album was "Palace Guard" which peaked at No. 65.

In 1973, [[MCA Records]], whose parent company [[MCA Inc.]] had owned American Decca since 1962, ceased the label's operations, and transferred Nelson (and many other Decca artists) to its roster. His comeback was short-lived, and Nelson's band soon resigned. MCA wanted Nelson to have a producer on his next album. A new band was formed by [[Lindy Goetz]], then a promotion person at MCA Records.<ref name="GoodReads" /> Nelson's band moved to Aspen and changed their name to "Canyon." Nelson and the new Stone Canyon Band began to tour for the ''[[Garden Party (album)|Garden Party]]'' album. Nelson still played nightclubs and bars, but he soon advanced to higher-paying venues because of the success of ''Garden Party.''

In 1974, MCA was unsure as to what to do with the former teen idol. Albums like ''[[Windfall (Rick Nelson album)|Windfall]]'' failed to have an impact. Nelson became an attraction at theme parks like [[Knott's Berry Farm]] and [[Disneyland]]. He also started appearing in minor roles on television shows.

Nelson tried to score another hit but did not have any luck with songs like "Rock and Roll Lady." With seven years to go on his contract, MCA dropped him from the label.