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| − | '''Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson''', later known as '''Rick Nelson''' ( | + | '''Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson''', later known as '''Rick Nelson''' (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985), was one of the first [[United States|American]] [[teen idol]]s. |
| − | On television, Ricky Nelson acted out his real-life role as the son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson in the | + | On television, Ricky Nelson acted out his real-life role as the son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson in the 50s, growing up in the nation’s living rooms. From TV stardom he went on to sign a record contract, his good looks and gentle voice winning him a generation of fans. Along with [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Pat Boone]], he was one of America’s earliest teen idols. With chart-topping songs like “Hello Mary Lou” (his signature song) and “Travelin’ Man,” Nelson had an amazing 33 Top Forty hits in a seven-year period. |
| − | When Nelson turned 21, he dropped the “y” from his name. As the maturing singer’s appeal with the teen audience diminished, he developed a more country-flavored sound as well as going on international tours. Refusing to become a mere nostalgia act, Nelson underwent a creative renaissance at the outset of the | + | When Nelson turned 21, he dropped the “y” from his name. As the maturing singer’s appeal with the teen audience diminished, he developed a more country-flavored sound as well as going on international tours. Refusing to become a mere nostalgia act, Nelson underwent a creative renaissance at the outset of the 70s, when he formed the Stone Canyon Band and had one his biggest hits with “Garden Party.” Until his death in a 1985 plane crash while on tour in [[Texas]], Nelson remained a hard-working musician who performed up to 200 dates a year. |
Nelson was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and also to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. | Nelson was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and also to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. | ||
==Television== | ==Television== | ||
| − | Born in [[Teaneck, New Jersey]], he was 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 (actor)|David Nelson]], the family starred in the long-running radio and television series ''[[The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet]]'' from | + | Born in [[Teaneck, New Jersey]], he was 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 (actor)|David Nelson]], the family starred in the long-running radio and television series ''[[The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet]]'' from 1944 to 1954 on the radio, and [[1952 in television|1952]] to [[1966 in television|1966]] on television. However, David and Ricky Nelson did not join the cast until 1949; for the first five years of the radio show, the sons were played by professional [[actors]]. |
==The hits begin== | ==The hits begin== | ||
| − | Ricky Nelson began a [[rock and roll]] music career in [[1957 in music|1957]]. He recorded his debut single, the [[Fats Domino]] song "I'm Walkin'" | + | Ricky Nelson began a [[rock and roll]] music career in [[1957 in music|1957]]. He recorded his debut single, the [[Fats Domino]] song "I'm Walkin'," seeking to impress a date who was an [[Elvis Presley]] fan — Nelson's first song was a hit, reaching #4 on the charts. Soon, each episode of the ''Ozzie & Harriet'' television show ended with a musical performance by "Ricky." It was during the sitcom's run that Ozzie Nelson, either as a move to keep his son's fans tuned in each week, or as an affirmation of his reputed behind-the-scenes persona as a control freak, kept Ricky from appearing on other TV shows that arguably would have enhanced his public profile, ''[[American Bandstand]]'' and ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' in particular. Ironically, Rick finally did appear on the Sullivan show in 1967, but where his career was at that time made it seem irrelevant. Rick also appeared on other TV shows (usually in acting roles); in 1977, he guest-hosted on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' where he proved to be a good sport in spoofing his TV sitcom image, by appearing in a ''[[Twilight Zone]]'' send-up, where, trying to go "home," he'd find himself among the characters from other 1950s/early 60s-era sitcoms, ''[[Leave It To Beaver]]'', ''[[Father Knows Best]]'', and ''[[Make Room For Daddy]]''. |
Despite the promotional aspects of his career, it is clear that Nelson knew and loved music, and was a credible performer before he became a [[teen idol]], largely due to his parents' musical background. Unlike many teen idols of the time, Nelson showed his personal taste in working with strong [[musician]]s, including [[James Burton]], [[Joe Maphis]], [[The Jordanaires]], and [[Johnny Burnette|Johnny]] and [[Dorsey Burnette]]. | Despite the promotional aspects of his career, it is clear that Nelson knew and loved music, and was a credible performer before he became a [[teen idol]], largely due to his parents' musical background. Unlike many teen idols of the time, Nelson showed his personal taste in working with strong [[musician]]s, including [[James Burton]], [[Joe Maphis]], [[The Jordanaires]], and [[Johnny Burnette|Johnny]] and [[Dorsey Burnette]]. | ||
==Teen idol== | ==Teen idol== | ||
| − | From 1957 to 1962, Nelson had 30 top 40 hits, more than any other artist at the time, except Elvis Presley (who had 53) and Pat Boone (who had 38). Many of Nelson's early records were double hits with both the A side and the B side hitting the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' charts. When ''Billboard'' introduced the [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] chart on | + | From 1957 to 1962, Nelson had 30 top 40 hits, more than any other artist at the time, except Elvis Presley (who had 53) and Pat Boone (who had 38). Many of Nelson's early records were double hits with both the A side and the B side hitting the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' charts. When ''Billboard'' introduced the [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] chart on August 4, 1958, Nelson's [[single (song)|single]] "Poor Little Fool" became the first song ever in the #1 position on that chart. |
| − | While Nelson preferred [[rockabilly]] and [[uptempo]] rock [[songs]] like "[[Hello Mary Lou]]" | + | While Nelson preferred [[rockabilly]] and [[uptempo]] rock [[songs]] like "[[Hello Mary Lou]]," "It's Late," "Stood Up," and "Be-Bop Baby," his smooth, calm voice made him a natural to sing [[ballad]]s. He had major success with "Travelin' Man," "Poor Little Fool," "Young World," "Lonesome Town," and "Teenage Idol," which clearly could have been about Nelson himself at the time. |
In addition to his recording career, Nelson also appeared in movies, including ''[[Rio Bravo (movie)|Rio Bravo]]'' with [[John Wayne]] and [[Dean Martin]] ([[1959 in film|1959]]) ''[[The Wackiest Ship In the Army]]'' (1960) and ''[[Love and Kisses (1965 movie)|Love and Kisses]]'' ([[1965 in film|1965]]). | In addition to his recording career, Nelson also appeared in movies, including ''[[Rio Bravo (movie)|Rio Bravo]]'' with [[John Wayne]] and [[Dean Martin]] ([[1959 in film|1959]]) ''[[The Wackiest Ship In the Army]]'' (1960) and ''[[Love and Kisses (1965 movie)|Love and Kisses]]'' ([[1965 in film|1965]]). | ||
| − | In 1961, Nelson began to be credited on his records as "Rick Nelson" instead of "Ricky Nelson" | + | In 1961, Nelson began to be credited on his records as "Rick Nelson" instead of "Ricky Nelson." |
In April 1963, he married [[Kristin Harmon]] in what ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' Magazine referred to as "The Wedding of the Year." Kristin Harmon is the daughter of Football All-American [[University of Michigan]] football legend and [[Heisman Trophy]] winner [[Tom Harmon]] and actress [[Elyse Knox]], and is the older sister of movie and television star [[Mark Harmon]], perhaps known best for the hit series "NCIS." | In April 1963, he married [[Kristin Harmon]] in what ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' Magazine referred to as "The Wedding of the Year." Kristin Harmon is the daughter of Football All-American [[University of Michigan]] football legend and [[Heisman Trophy]] winner [[Tom Harmon]] and actress [[Elyse Knox]], and is the older sister of movie and television star [[Mark Harmon]], perhaps known best for the hit series "NCIS." | ||
==Career slows== | ==Career slows== | ||
| − | In [[1963 in music|1963]], Nelson signed a 20-year [[contract]] with [[Decca Records]], but he had no further major hits after [[1964 in music|1964]]'s "For You" | + | In [[1963 in music|1963]], Nelson signed a 20-year [[contract]] with [[Decca Records]], but he had no further major hits after [[1964 in music|1964]]'s "For You." In the mid-1960s, he began to move towards [[country music]], but did not reach the [[Top 40]] again until [[1970 in music|1970]], when he recorded [[Bob Dylan]]'s "She Belongs To Me" with the [[Stone Canyon Band]]. |
| − | In 1972, Nelson reached the top 40 one last time with "[[Garden Party (Rick Nelson)|Garden Party]]" | + | In 1972, Nelson reached the top 40 one last time with "[[Garden Party (Rick Nelson)|Garden Party]]," a song he wrote in disgust after a [[Madison Square Garden]] audience booed him when he tried playing new songs instead of just his old hits from the 1950s and 1960s. "Garden Party" reached #6 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] and #1 on the [[Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks|Billboard Adult Contemporary chart]], and was certified as a [[RIAA certification|gold single]]. (Coincidentally, "Garden Party" was a hit at the same time Nelson's influence Elvis Presley was having his last top 10 single, "[[Burning Love]]," as was [[Chuck Berry]] with "[[My Ding-a-Ling]]"; Berry is among the musicians alluded to in the lyrics of "Garden Party".) |
==Rapid decline== | ==Rapid decline== | ||
===Personal life=== | ===Personal life=== | ||
| − | However, Nelson never regained his career's momentum. By the late- | + | However, Nelson never regained his career's momentum. By the late-1970s, Nelson's life was in shambles. His wife had divorced him and taken their four children. He wasn't making records and when he played live at all, it was in very small, insignificant venues. Nelson began using [[drugs]], especially [[marijuana]].[http://www.philfangvolk.com/rickynelson.html] In 1985, he joined a [[nostalgia]] rock tour of [[England]]. It was a major success, and it revived some interest in Nelson. |
===Plane crash=== | ===Plane crash=== | ||
| Line 66: | Line 48: | ||
His twin sons, [[Gunnar Nelson|Gunnar]] and [[Matthew Nelson]], also were teen idols, performing as [[Nelson (band)|Nelson]], and his daughter, [[Tracy Nelson (actress)|Tracy Nelson]], is an [[actress]] and [[cancer]] survivor. She may be best known for her role in the television series [[Father Dowling Mysteries]], which starred [[Tom Bosley]]. Nelson's youngest son, [[Sam Nelson]], is an actor and singer. | His twin sons, [[Gunnar Nelson|Gunnar]] and [[Matthew Nelson]], also were teen idols, performing as [[Nelson (band)|Nelson]], and his daughter, [[Tracy Nelson (actress)|Tracy Nelson]], is an [[actress]] and [[cancer]] survivor. She may be best known for her role in the television series [[Father Dowling Mysteries]], which starred [[Tom Bosley]]. Nelson's youngest son, [[Sam Nelson]], is an actor and singer. | ||
| − | In [[commemoration]] of the 20th [[anniversary]] of his passing, [[PBS]] aired a one hour [[documentary film|documentary]] entitled "Ricky Nelson Sings" | + | In [[commemoration]] of the 20th [[anniversary]] of his passing, [[PBS]] aired a one hour [[documentary film|documentary]] entitled "Ricky Nelson Sings," featuring [[interviews]] with his children, as well as [[James Burton]] and [[Kris Kristofferson]]. The only time Kris Kristofferson played with Ricky Nelson was in [[Elroy, Wisconsin]] at Party in the Park July 3 1985. |
[[Bob Dylan]], in his 2004 [[memoir]], [[Chronicles, Vol. 1]], wrote about Nelson's influence on his music. Also in 2004, [[Rolling Stone Magazine]] ranked Nelson #91 on their list of the [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939214/the_immortals_the_first_fifty/ 100 Greatest Artists of All Time].<ref>{{cite web| title = The Immortals: The First Fifty| work = Rolling Stone Issue 946| publisher = Rolling Stone| url =http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939214/the_immortals_the_first_fifty}}</ref> | [[Bob Dylan]], in his 2004 [[memoir]], [[Chronicles, Vol. 1]], wrote about Nelson's influence on his music. Also in 2004, [[Rolling Stone Magazine]] ranked Nelson #91 on their list of the [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939214/the_immortals_the_first_fifty/ 100 Greatest Artists of All Time].<ref>{{cite web| title = The Immortals: The First Fifty| work = Rolling Stone Issue 946| publisher = Rolling Stone| url =http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5939214/the_immortals_the_first_fifty}}</ref> | ||
| − | On | + | On December 27, 2005, [[EMI]] Music released an album titled ''Ricky Nelson's Greatest Hits'', with 25 songs. It peaked at #56 on the [[Billboard 200]] album chart. |
In [[Stephen King]]'s ''[[Nightmares & Dreamscapes]]'', Nelson appears in ''[[You Know They Got a Hell of a Band]]'' as an evil version of himself, who torments an unsuspecting couple trapped in a town inhabited by late rock n roll legends. Nelson was portrayed by [[William McNamara]] in the 2006 television mini-series adaptation of ''[[Nightmares & Dreamscapes (TV Series)|Nightmares & Dreamscapes]]''. | In [[Stephen King]]'s ''[[Nightmares & Dreamscapes]]'', Nelson appears in ''[[You Know They Got a Hell of a Band]]'' as an evil version of himself, who torments an unsuspecting couple trapped in a town inhabited by late rock n roll legends. Nelson was portrayed by [[William McNamara]] in the 2006 television mini-series adaptation of ''[[Nightmares & Dreamscapes (TV Series)|Nightmares & Dreamscapes]]''. | ||
| Line 145: | Line 127: | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
* Bashe, Philip. ''Teenage Idol, Travelin' Man: The Complete Biography of Rick Nelson'', Hyperion Books, 1993. ISBN 978-1562828868 | * Bashe, Philip. ''Teenage Idol, Travelin' Man: The Complete Biography of Rick Nelson'', Hyperion Books, 1993. ISBN 978-1562828868 | ||
| − | * Nelson, Ricky. ''Ricky | + | * Nelson, Ricky. ''Ricky Nelson—20 Greatest Hits'', Hal Leonard Corporation, 2001. ISBN 978-0634031717 |
* Selvin, Joel. ''Ricky Nelson: Idol for a Generation'', Contemporary Books, 1991. ISBN 978-0809239900 | * Selvin, Joel. ''Ricky Nelson: Idol for a Generation'', Contemporary Books, 1991. ISBN 978-0809239900 | ||
Revision as of 13:59, 28 April 2007
Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson, later known as Rick Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985), was one of the first American teen idols.
On television, Ricky Nelson acted out his real-life role as the son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson in the 50s, growing up in the nation’s living rooms. From TV stardom he went on to sign a record contract, his good looks and gentle voice winning him a generation of fans. Along with Elvis Presley and Pat Boone, he was one of America’s earliest teen idols. With chart-topping songs like “Hello Mary Lou” (his signature song) and “Travelin’ Man,” Nelson had an amazing 33 Top Forty hits in a seven-year period.
When Nelson turned 21, he dropped the “y” from his name. As the maturing singer’s appeal with the teen audience diminished, he developed a more country-flavored sound as well as going on international tours. Refusing to become a mere nostalgia act, Nelson underwent a creative renaissance at the outset of the 70s, when he formed the Stone Canyon Band and had one his biggest hits with “Garden Party.” Until his death in a 1985 plane crash while on tour in Texas, Nelson remained a hard-working musician who performed up to 200 dates a year.
Nelson was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and also to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Television
Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, he was 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 from 1944 to 1954 on the radio, and 1952 to 1966 on television. However, David and Ricky Nelson did not join the cast until 1949; for the first five years of the radio show, the sons were played by professional actors.
The hits begin
Ricky Nelson began a rock and roll music career in 1957. He recorded his debut single, the Fats Domino song "I'm Walkin'," seeking to impress a date who was an Elvis Presley fan — Nelson's first song was a hit, reaching #4 on the charts. Soon, each episode of the Ozzie & Harriet television show ended with a musical performance by "Ricky." It was during the sitcom's run that Ozzie Nelson, either as a move to keep his son's fans tuned in each week, or as an affirmation of his reputed behind-the-scenes persona as a control freak, kept Ricky from appearing on other TV shows that arguably would have enhanced his public profile, American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show in particular. Ironically, Rick finally did appear on the Sullivan show in 1967, but where his career was at that time made it seem irrelevant. Rick also appeared on other TV shows (usually in acting roles); in 1977, he guest-hosted on Saturday Night Live where he proved to be a good sport in spoofing his TV sitcom image, by appearing in a Twilight Zone send-up, where, trying to go "home," he'd find himself among the characters from other 1950s/early 60s-era sitcoms, Leave It To Beaver, Father Knows Best, and Make Room For Daddy.
Despite the promotional aspects of his career, it is clear that Nelson knew and loved music, and was a credible performer before he became a teen idol, largely due to his parents' musical background. Unlike many teen idols of the time, Nelson showed his personal taste in working with strong musicians, including James Burton, Joe Maphis, The Jordanaires, and Johnny and Dorsey Burnette.
Teen idol
From 1957 to 1962, Nelson had 30 top 40 hits, more than any other artist at the time, except Elvis Presley (who had 53) and Pat Boone (who had 38). Many of Nelson's early records were double hits with both the A side and the B side hitting the Billboard charts. When Billboard introduced the Hot 100 chart on August 4, 1958, Nelson's single "Poor Little Fool" became the first song ever in the #1 position on that chart.
While Nelson preferred rockabilly and uptempo rock songs like "Hello Mary Lou," "It's Late," "Stood Up," and "Be-Bop Baby," his smooth, calm voice made him a natural to sing ballads. He had major success with "Travelin' Man," "Poor Little Fool," "Young World," "Lonesome Town," and "Teenage Idol," which clearly could have been about Nelson himself at the time.
In addition to his recording career, Nelson also appeared in movies, including Rio Bravo with John Wayne and Dean Martin (1959) The Wackiest Ship In the Army (1960) and Love and Kisses (1965).
In 1961, Nelson began to be credited on his records as "Rick Nelson" instead of "Ricky Nelson."
In April 1963, he married Kristin Harmon in what Life Magazine referred to as "The Wedding of the Year." Kristin Harmon is the daughter of Football All-American University of Michigan football legend and Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon and actress Elyse Knox, and is the older sister of movie and television star Mark Harmon, perhaps known best for the hit series "NCIS."
Career slows
In 1963, Nelson signed a 20-year contract with Decca Records, but he had no further major hits after 1964's "For You." In the mid-1960s, he began to move towards country music, but did not reach the Top 40 again until 1970, when he recorded Bob Dylan's "She Belongs To Me" with the Stone Canyon Band.
In 1972, Nelson reached the top 40 one last time with "Garden Party," a song he wrote in disgust after a Madison Square Garden audience booed him when he tried playing new songs instead of just his old hits from the 1950s and 1960s. "Garden Party" reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and was certified as a gold single. (Coincidentally, "Garden Party" was a hit at the same time Nelson's influence Elvis Presley was having his last top 10 single, "Burning Love," as was Chuck Berry with "My Ding-a-Ling"; Berry is among the musicians alluded to in the lyrics of "Garden Party".)
Rapid decline
Personal life
However, Nelson never regained his career's momentum. By the late-1970s, Nelson's life was in shambles. His wife had divorced him and taken their four children. He wasn't making records and when he played live at all, it was in very small, insignificant venues. Nelson began using drugs, especially marijuana.[1] In 1985, he joined a nostalgia rock tour of England. It was a major success, and it revived some interest in Nelson.
Plane crash
He tried to duplicate that effect in the United States, and he began a tour of the South. While on that tour, he died in a plane crash in De Kalb, Texas in 1985. He was on his way to a New Year's Eve concert in Dallas, Texas. Nelson was interred in the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. The last song he sang on stage before his death was Buddy Holly's "Rave On."
Rumors that drug use among the passengers caused the crash frequently resurface, but the original NTSB investigation long ago stated that the crash was probably due to mechanical problems. An examination indicated the fire originated in the right hand side of the aft cabin area at or near the floor line. The ignition and fuel sources could not be determined, although many believe that the most likely cause was a defective cabin heater. The pilot indicated that the crew tried to turn on the cabin heater repeatedly shortly before the fire occurred, but that it failed to respond. After the fire, the access panel to the heater compartment was found unlatched. The theory is supported by records that showed that DC-3s in general, and this aircraft in particular, had a previous history of problems with the cabin heaters.
Legacy
Nelson was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and also to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1515 Vine Street.
His twin sons, Gunnar and Matthew Nelson, also were teen idols, performing as Nelson, and his daughter, Tracy Nelson, is an actress and cancer survivor. She may be best known for her role in the television series Father Dowling Mysteries, which starred Tom Bosley. Nelson's youngest son, Sam Nelson, is an actor and singer.
In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of his passing, PBS aired a one hour documentary entitled "Ricky Nelson Sings," featuring interviews with his children, as well as James Burton and Kris Kristofferson. The only time Kris Kristofferson played with Ricky Nelson was in Elroy, Wisconsin at Party in the Park July 3 1985.
Bob Dylan, in his 2004 memoir, Chronicles, Vol. 1, wrote about Nelson's influence on his music. Also in 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Nelson #91 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[1]
On December 27, 2005, EMI Music released an album titled Ricky Nelson's Greatest Hits, with 25 songs. It peaked at #56 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
In Stephen King's Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Nelson appears in You Know They Got a Hell of a Band as an evil version of himself, who torments an unsuspecting couple trapped in a town inhabited by late rock n roll legends. Nelson was portrayed by William McNamara in the 2006 television mini-series adaptation of Nightmares & Dreamscapes.
Singles discography
- "I'm Walkin'" / “A Teenager’s Romance” (Verve 10047)
- "You’re My One and Only Love" / “Honey Rock” (Verve 10070)
- “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You” / "Be Bop Baby" (Imperial 5463)
- "Stood Up" / "Waitin' In School" (Imperial 5483)
- “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It” / "Believe What You Say" (Imperial 5503)
- "Poor Little Fool" / “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (Imperial 5528)
- "Lonesome Town" / “I Got a Feeling” (Imperial 5545)
- "It's Late" / "Never Be Anyone Else but You" (Imperial 5565)
- “Just a Little Too Much” / "Sweeter Than You" (Imperial 5595)
- “Mighty Good” / “I Wanna Be Loved” (Imperial 5614)
- “Young Emotions” / “Right by My Side” (Imperial 5663)
- “I’m Not Afraid” / “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” (Imperial 5685)
- “You Are the Only One” / “Milk Cow Blues” (Imperial 5707)
- "Travelin' Man" / "Hello Mary Lou" (Imperial 5741)
- “Everlovin’” / “A Wonder Like You” (Imperial 5770)
- “Summertime” / "Young World" (Imperial 5805)
- “I’ve Got My Eyes on You (And I Like What I See)” / "Teen Age Idol" (Imperial 5864)
- "It's Up to You" / “I Need You” (Imperial 5901)
- “I’m in Love Again” / “That’s All” (Imperial 5910)
- “You Don’t Love Me Anymore (And I Can Tell)” / “I Got a Woman” (Decca 31475)
- “If You Can’t Rock Me” / “Old Enough to Love” (Imperial 5935)
- “A Long Vacation” / “Mad Mad World” (Imperial 5958)
- “Gypsy Woman” / "String Along" (Decca 31495)
- “Time After Time” / “There’s Not a Minute” (Imperial 5985)
- "Fools Rush In" / “Down Home” (Decca 31533)
- “Today’s Teardrops” / “Thank You Darlin’” (Imperial 66004)
- "For You" / “That’s All She Wrote” (Decca 31574)
- “Congratulations” / “One Minute to One” (Imperial 66017)
- “The Very Thought of You” / “I Wonder (If Your Love Will Belong to Me)” (Decca 31612)
- “Lucky Star” / “Everybody but Me” (Imperial 66039)
- “Lonely Corner” / “There’s Nothing I Can Say” (Decca 31656)
- “A Happy Guy” / “Don’t Breathe a Word” (Decca 31703)
- “Mean Old World” / “When the Chips Are Down” (Decca 31756)
- “Yesterday’s Love” / “Come Out Dancing” (Decca 31800)
- “Say You Love Me” / “Love and Kisses” (Decca 31845)
- “Fire Breathin’ Dragon” / “Your Kind of Lovin’ (Decca 31900)
- “You Just Can’t Quit” / “Louisiana Man” (Decca 31956)
- “Things You Gave Me” / “Alone” (Decca 32026)
- “They Don’t Give Medals (To Yesterday’s Heroes)” / “Take a Broken Heart” (Decca 32055)
- “Take a City Bride” / “I’m Called Lonely” (Decca 32120)
- “Suzanne on a Sunday Morning” / “Moonshine” (Decca 32176)
- “Dream Weaver” / “Baby Close Its Eyes” (Decca 32222)
- “Don’t Blame It on Your Wife” / “Promenade in Green” (Decca 32284)
- “Don’t Make Promises” / “Barefoot Boy” (Decca 32298)
- “She Belongs to Me” / “Promises” (Decca 32558)
- “Easy to Be Free” / “Come on In” (Decca 32635)
- “I Shall Be Released” / “If You Gotta Go, Go Now” (Decca 32676)
- “Look at Mary” / “We’ve Got Such a Long Way to Go” (Decca 32711)
- “How Long” / “Down Along the Bayou Country” (Decca 32739)
- “Life” / “California” (Decca 32779)
- “Thank You Lord” / “Sing Me a Song” (Decca 32860)
- “Gypsy Pilot” / “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” (Decca 32906)
- "Garden Party" / “So Long Mama” (Decca 32980)
- “Palace Guard” / “A Flower Opens Gently By” (MCA 40001)
- “Lifestream” / “Evil Woman Child” (MCA 40130)
- “Windfall” / “Legacy” (MCA 40187)
- “One Night Stand” / “Lifestream” (MCA 40214)
- “Try (Try to Fall in Love)” / “Louisiana Belle” (MCA 40392)
- “Rock and Roll Lady” / “Fade Away” (MCA 40458)
- “You Can’t Dance” / “It’s Another Day” (Epic 50458)
- “Gimme a Little Sign” / “Something You Can’t Buy” (Epic 50501)
- “Dream Lover” / “That Ain’t the Way Love’s Supposed to Be” (Epic 50674)
- “It Hasn’t Happened Yet” / “Call It What You Want” (Capitol 4974)
- “Believe What You Say” / “The Loser Babe Is You” (Capitol 4988)
- “Give ’em My Number” / “No Fair Falling in Love” (Capitol 5178)
- “You Know What I Mean” / “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (MCA 52781)
- “Dream Lover” / “Rave On” (Epic 06066)
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Bashe, Philip. Teenage Idol, Travelin' Man: The Complete Biography of Rick Nelson, Hyperion Books, 1993. ISBN 978-1562828868
- Nelson, Ricky. Ricky Nelson—20 Greatest Hits, Hal Leonard Corporation, 2001. ISBN 978-0634031717
- Selvin, Joel. Ricky Nelson: Idol for a Generation, Contemporary Books, 1991. ISBN 978-0809239900
External links
- Rick Nelson at the Internet Movie Database
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- US NTSB Report on plane crash
- Summary of DC-3 accident report on avstop.com
- Rick/Ricky Nelson's Official Website
- Rockabilly Hall
- Ricky Nelson
- RCS Artist Discography
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- ↑ The Immortals: The First Fifty. Rolling Stone Issue 946. Rolling Stone.
