Not much was known about him, but he worked on The Pike in Long Beach, CA along with Bert Grim. According to Jim LePorte, Chris Nelson and Ed Hardy were the two best spit shaders in the business.
Jim LePorte said,
“I didn’t work with Nelson, he was before my time. I was on the Pike as early as ’72. I worked with Don Nolan, Ed Hardy, Zeke Owen, Phil Sims, Fred Thornton, Capt. Jim Malonson, Don Deaton, Good Time Charley Cartwright, Tennessee Dave James, Greg James, Al Orsini, Rio Degennero, Dave Saleem, Johnny Anderson, Jack Witt, Ron Howell, “Flame” Darrell (something), Lady Blue, Paul Simpkins, Merki Simpkins, (New Jersey) Ernie Bishoff, Paul LeFlair, Mike Kroh, Tattoo Red and probably some others as well.”
One of the Nelson back pieces you got from me was also done by Grimm
Special thanks to the Tattoo Archive