Rick Nelson
Rick, (Ricky) Nelson, the teen idol, 1958Rick Nelson, the Elvis look-alike, who starred in his families T.V. show
Rick Nelson, then Ricky Nelson, starred in the TV series The Nelsons, along with mum (Harriet) dad (Ozzie) and brother David. Rick would usually end the show with a nice rock song. A TV show with a rock star son? What a great idea! The show was "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet", and was essential viewing in our house. Rick the first star to use T.V. to promote his music.
With his father's help, he secured a one-record deal with Verve Records, an important jazz label looking for a young and popular personality who could sing or be taught to sing. On March 26, 1957, he recorded the Fats Domino standard "I'm Walkin'" and "A Teenager's Romance" (released in late April 1957 as his first single),and "You're My One and Only Love". Before the single was released, he made his television rock-and-roll debut on April 10, 1957, singing and playing the drums to "I'm Walkin'" in the Ozzie and Harriet episode "Ricky, the Drummer". About the same time, he made an unpaid public appearance, singing "Blue Moon of Kentucky" with the Four Preps at a Hamilton High School lunch-hour assembly in Los Angeles and was greeted by hordes of screaming teens who had seen the television episode.
Rick Nelson Hits keep Coming!
"I'm Walkin'" reached No. 4 on Billboard's Best Sellers in Stores chart, and its flip side, "A Teenager's Romance", hit No.2 When the television series went on summer break in 1957, Nelson made his first road trip and played four state and county fairs in Ohio and Wisconsin with the Four Preps, who opened and closed for him
His singing developed, and Rick scored 53 Hot 100 hits between 1957 and 1o973, 17 in the top 10 between q1957 and 1962 From then on Rick Nelson had a number of great hits, including “Poor Little Fool” (1958) “Travelling Man”(1961) and “Hello Mary Lou” (1961)all classic songs.
"Poor Little Fool" was the first No.1 on the newly Billboard Hot 100.
Other hits included “Never Be Anyone Else But You”, “Young World” and “Teenage Idol”.
As one of the original Teen Idols, Rick scored an acting gig alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin in the film “Rio Bravo”
Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band
The post Beatles Rick Nelson and his Stone Canyon Band, 1969, with future Poco and Eagles bass player Randy Meisner on the left.Ricky became Rick in 1960 and signed a 20-year contract with Decca in 1963. But Beatlemania and the British invasion heralded a change to his music. He formed the Stone Canyon Band in 1969 which at various times featured members of Poco and Eagles in the lineup
At Christmas 1961, Nelson began dating Kristin Harmon (June 25, 1945 – April 26, 2018), a daughter of football player Tom Harmon and actress Elyse Knox (née Elsie Kornbrath) and the older sister of Kelly and Mark Harmon. The Nelsons and the Harmon’s had long been friends, and a union between their children held great appeal. Rick and Kris had much in common: quiet dispositions, Hollywood upbringings, and high-powered, domineering fathers.
They married on April 20, 1963. Kris was pregnant and Rick later described the union as a "shotgun wedding". Nelson, a nonpracticing Protestant, received instruction in Catholicism at the insistence of the bride's parents and signed a pledge to have any children of the union raised in the Catholic faith. Kris Nelson joined the television show as a regular cast member in 1963.They had four children: actress Tracy Kristine Nelson, twin sons Gunnar Eric Nelson and Matthew Gray Nelson who formed the band Nelson, and Sam Hilliard Nelson.
By 1975, following the birth of their last child, the marriage had deteriorated and a very public, controversial divorce involving both families was covered in the press for several years. In October 1977, Kris filed for divorce and asked for alimony, custody of their four children, and a portion of community property. The couple temporarily resolved their differences, but Kris retained her attorney to pursue a permanent break. Kris wanted Rick to give up music, spend more time at home, and focus on acting, but the family enjoyed a recklessly expensive lifestyle, and Kris's extravagant spending left Rick no choice but to tour relentlessly. The impasse over Rick's career created unpleasantness at home. Kris became an alcoholic and left the children in the care of household help. After years of legal proceedings, they were divorced in December 1982. The divorce was financially devastating for Nelson, with attorneys and accountants taking over $1 million.
His song Garden Party, about his bad reception at the Madison Square Garden concert, was his first top 10 single in 10 years. Rick and six others, including his fiancée, were killed when his DC-3crashed on the way to a gig in Dallas.
Remembering Rick
In 1994, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.
In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Nelson number 91 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
In 2005, at the 20th anniversary of Nelson's death, PBS televised Ricky Nelson Sings, a documentary featuring interviews with his children, as well as James Burton and Kris Kristofferson.
Hall of Fame baseball player Rickey Henderson was named Rickey Nelson Henley after Ricky Nelson.
Rick Nelson on Vinyl
This is Ricky Nelsons 3rd Rock album, coming out in January 1959.
The album debuted on the Billboard Best Selling LPs chart in the issue dated February 2, 1959, remaining on the chart for 19 weeks and peaking at number 14.[3] It debuted on the Cashbox albums chart in the issue dated January 10, 1959, and remained on the chart for in a total of 27 weeks, spending a week at number one.[4] Five singles were released from the album: "Lonesome Town", "It's Late", "Never Be Anyone Else But You", "Believe What You Say" and "Old Enough to Love
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