TIGERX.COM Memorials: Fond Farewell to Ricky Nelson

Farewells of 1985

Ricky Nelson

May 8, 1940 - - - December 31, 1985

Singer Ricky Nelson was the first rock teen idol to use television as a way to promote his hit records. He later made a fairly successful transition to become a country-rock singer. In 1952 he began playing himself on his parents' television series The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet. Ricky didn't begin singing on the show until he was 17 in 1957. According to Nelson he didn't have any musical ambitions until a girlfriend told him she was in love with Elvis Presley. Nelsons first hit was "I'm Walking", which sold a million copies and went to #4 on the pop charts after he sang it on the show. Between '57 and '61 he had several pop hits including "Poor Little Fool" and "Hello Mary Lou" which both reached #1. By the mid-sixties his hits began to dry and after his parents' show went off the air Nelson slid into obscurity. In 1969 Nelson formed the Stone Canyon Band and scored a minor hit with a cover of Dylan's "She Belongs to Me". In October of '71 at Madison Square Garden Nelson was booed for his long hair and new material. Out of this experience he penned "Garden Party" which rose to #6 and became his first million selling gold record in over a decade. Throughout the 70's and 80's Nelson continued to make records and tour with different incarnations of The Stone Canyon Band. After a show on December 30, 1985 Ricky and his band flew to Dallas. On route the captain reported smoke in the plane and made an emergency landing on a highway, but the plane burst into flames, Nelson and all on board were killed.

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