Silver Tailings: Nevada’s Pop-Historian

The first time I met the Brooklyn, New York, native Norm Nielson, I was working at KONE in Reno with Paul Stewart. Paul and I were putting together an advertising campaign using Nevada as a historical back drop.

It was Paul’s idea and he asked me to help him gather facts and write scripts. It was also Paul’s idea to have Norm voice the ads as he was sure the man’s would carry the day.

Norm had a voice that was a rich, baritone. It was clean, smooth and inviting and I was instantly smitten and jealous with his God-given talent.

We had about 40 “spec-ad’s in the can” – meaning there were 40 scripts recorded and ready for whatever prospective client purchased the campaign. Unfortunately, KONE changed format from County-Western to Middle of the Road music, otherwise known as Big Band.

Needless to say – the campaign went by the wayside and was eventually forgotten about. However the idea was resurrected in the early ‘90s when Norm, working for Nevada Bell, created “Tales of Nevada,” which was carried on at least four radio stations throughout the state.

Of course they were voiced by Norm.

It was early June 1997, when I learned Norm had passed away from a heart ailment. Susan Voyles with the Reno Gazette-Journal wrote about his passing like this: “But he died alone, a broken man in a Reno motel.”

Norm made a storied exit that’s all most as legendary as his entrance to the Silver State.

He came to northern Nevada by way of an invite of a man whose grand-father, Charles Fey invented the one-arm bandit. Marshall Fey had seen an episode of “Bonanza” where “Hoss and Little Joe” ride horse back from Lake Tahoe to Virginia City in 15 minutes.

Marshall called Norm – who incidentally had written that particular episode – saying, “Son, you’ve never been to Nevada, have you? Come on up to Reno and I’ll buy you a drink.”

At the time Marshal Fey owned the Liberty Belle Saloon. It once sat in front of the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, but was closed up and eventually demolished in 2006 to make room for more parking at the center.

Norm fell in love with Nevada and remained a resident until his death. I’ve always believed that because of his love for the state – he deserves a place amid the annals of Nevada’s history.