Ricky Nelson

Eric Hilliard “Ricky” Nelson, also known as Rick Nelson was born in Teaneck, New Jersey on May 8, 1940, the younger son of Ozzie Nelson, the leader of a big band, and Harriet Hilliard Nelson, the band’s singer. Along with brother David Nelson, the family starred in the long-running radio and television series “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet.”

As a teenage idol at 17 years of age Ricky Nelson began a rock and roll music career by recording a song written and made popular by Fats Domino just a few weeks earlier in 1957. “I’m Walkin’” gave both artists a top five hit and would be the first of 55 appearances on the charts for Ricky Nelson. “A Teenager’s Romance” was Ricky’s second million seller, followed by Be-Bop Baby, “ “Stood Up,” “Believe What You Say,” “Poor Little Fool,” “Lonesome Town,” “Never Be Anyone Else But You,” “It’s Late,” “Just a Little Too Much,” “Travelin’ Man,” “Hello Mary Lou,” “Young World,” “It’s Up To You,” “For You” and “Garden Party.”

Elvis Presley and the Beatles had numerous two-sided hits, but rounding out the top 3 acts to achieve that distinction is Ricky Nelson who had three consecutive double sided top 10 hits with “Lonesome Town” backed with “I Got A Feeling”, “Never Be Anyone Else But You” backed with “It’s Late” and “Just A Little Too Much” backed with “Sweeter Than You”.

In addition to his recording career, Ricky Nelson also appeared in movies, including “Rio Bravo” with John Wayne and Dean Martin in 1959.

In 1987 Ricky Nelson was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2007 Ricky Nelson was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

At 45 years of age in 1985, he began a tour of the southern United States and was on his way to New Year’s Eve concert in Dallas, when he died in a plane crash near De Kalb, Texas.