5 Things You Never Knew About 1950s Pop Idol Ricky Nelson
It’s hard to believe Ricky Nelson would have turned 85 this year. Born on May 8, 1940, the boy-next-door heartthrob grew up before America’s eyes on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and then reinvented himself as a chart-topping rock ‘n’ roll star with hits like “Poor Little Fool” and “Travelin’ Man.” Sadly, the world never saw the full scope of what he could accomplish as he passed away in a plane crash far too young at the age of 45 on December 31, 1985. In honor of his birthday, here are five things you might not have known about this talented and often misunderstood icon:
1 His music career started because he wanted to impress a girl
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Nelson never intended to be a singer, but all that changed when a girl he liked said she was in love with Elvis Presley (who wasn’t?). Not to be outdone, he told her he was a rock singer too, though he wasn’t quite yet. That offhand comment sparked a scramble to cut a record. He quickly recorded a cover of Fats Domino’s “I’m Walkin’,” performed it on TV and the rest was history. The single became a massive hit, launching Nelson’s career almost overnight. He became the first teen idol to promote his music records on television. While sharing his music, he also continued to act and was seen in the famous Western Rio Bravo alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin.
2 He topped the very first Billboard Hot 100
Nelson not only had hit songs, but he made history with them. When Billboard introduced its now-iconic “Hot 100” singles chart on August 4, 1958, the very first song to hit No. 1 was Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool.” He would go on to place 54 songs on the chart before his tragic death in 1985.
3 He was related to an NCIS star by marriage
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During Christmas of 1961, he began dating Kristin Harmon, the daughter of football star Tom Harmon and actress Elyse Knox, and the older sister of future NCIS actor Mark Harmon. The Nelsons and Harmons were longtime family friends and had similar childhoods, so the match felt natural. They married on April 20, 1963, when Kris was pregnant with their first child. That same year, Kris joined The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet as a regular cast member, and together they had four children, including actress Tracy Nelson and twin sons Gunnar and Matthew, who later formed the band Nelson. Sadly, things got tense in the 1970s and they ultimately split up in 1977 with their divorce being finalized in 1982, just a few years before his death.
4 “Garden Party” came from an awkward real-life moment
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When Nelson performed at the Rock Revival show at Madison Square Garden in 1971, he thought the audience would appreciate his new country rock sound and updated look. Instead, they booed him for not playing his old hits or for simply not wearing his ’50s-era clothes. He turned that disappointment into the autobiographical hit “Garden Party,” which became a top 10 single.
5 His death paralleled his idol Buddy Holly’s
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The last song Nelson ever performed was Buddy Holly’s “Rave On,” on the evening of December 30, 1985. Hours later, his plane crashed en route to a New Year’s Eve concert in Dallas. As many know, Holly also passed away in a plane crash after a performance.
Now learn more about his famous mother, who wasn’t always as wholesome as she played on TV:
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