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Rick Nelson Biography (1940-1985)

Full name, Eric Hilliard Nelson; born May 8, 1940, in Teaneck, NJ; died in anairplane crash in Texas, December 31, 1985; son of Ozzie (a bandleader, singer, and actor) and Harriet (a singer and actress; maiden name, Hilliard) Nelson; married Kristin Harmon in 1963 (divorced); children: Tracy, Eric and Matthew (twins), Gunnar.

Rick Nelson made many concert appearances in his singing career, including anhistoric Madison Square Garden appearance in 1972, at which he sang his newmaterial when his audience wanted to hear his earlier work. The song "GardenParty" is about that concert. His musical career embraced a variety of stylesincluding hard rock and country-style music. When his airplane crashed on New Year's Eve, 1985, it killed him, his fiancee, Helen Blair, and members of Rick Nelson's Stone Canyon Band. He was the younger brother of actor- directorDavid Nelson.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Birth Details

May 8, 1940

Teaneck, New Jersey, United States

Death Details

December 31, 1985

Texas, United States

Famous Works

• Credits
• FILM DEBUT--As himself, Here Come the Nelsons, 1952.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM APPEARANCES
• The Story of Three Loves, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1953.
• Colorado Ryan, Rio Bravo, Warner Brothers, 1959.
• The Wackiest Ship in the Army, Columbia, 1960.
• Love and Kisses, Universal, 1965.
• TELEVISION DEBUT--As himself, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, ABC, 1952-66.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION APPEARANCES
• Host, Malibu U, ABC, 1967.
• guest, Dick Clark's Live Wednesday, NBC, 1978.
• guest host, Saturday Night Live, NBC.
• Credits; MOVIES
• Principal, High School, U.S.A., 1984.
• Credits; SINGLES
• "A Teenager's Romance," Verve Records, 1957.
• "Poor Little Fool," Imperial Records, 1958.
• "Hello Mary Lou," Imperial Records, 1961.
• "It's Up to You," Imperial Records.
• "For You," Decca Records.
• "She Belongs to Me," Decca, 1969.
• "Garden Party," Decca, 1972.
• "I'm Walking," "Be-Bop Baby," "Stood Up," "Believe What You Say," "Travelin' Man," "Young World," "Teenage Idol," "Fools Rush In," others; also recorded for MCA.