Rick Nelson was born 74 years ago today. Nelson was a singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and actor, starring alongside his family in the long-running television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952–66) as well as co-starring alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin in Howard Hawkss western feature film, Rio Bravo (1959). He placed 53 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1957 and 1973, including Poor Little Fool, which holds the distinction of being the first number one song on Billboard magazines then newly created Hot 100 chart. Nelson began his entertainment career in 1949, playing himself in the radio sitcom series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and in 1952 appeared in his first feature film, Here Come the Nelsons. In 1957, he recorded his first single, debuted as a singer on the television version of the sitcom, and recorded a number one album, Ricky. In 1958, Nelson recorded his first number one single, Poor Little Fool, and in 1959 received a Golden Globe Most Promising Male Newcomer nomination after starring in Rio Bravo. Nelson dreaded flying but refused to travel by bus. In May 1985, he decided he needed a private plane and leased a luxurious, fourteen-seat, 1944 Douglas DC-3 for private use that once belonged to the DuPont family and later to Jerry Lee Lewis. The planes history was plagued with mechanical issues. In one incident, the band was forced to push the plane off the runway after an engine blew, and in another incident, a malfunctioning magneto prevented Nelson from participating in the first Farm Aid concert in Champaign, Illinois. On Dec. 26, 1985, Nelson and the band left for a three-stop tour of the Southern United States. Following shows in Orlando, Florida and Guntersville, Alabama, Nelson and band members boarded the DC-3 in Guntersville and took off for a New Years Eve extravaganza in Dallas, Texas. The plane crash-landed northeast of Dallas in De Kalb, Texas less than two miles from a landing strip at approximately 5:14 p.m. on December 31, impacting trees as it came to earth. Seven of the nine occupants were killed: Nelson, 45, and his companion, Helen Blair; bass guitarist Patrick Woodward; drummer Rick Intveld; keyboardist Andy Chapin; guitarist Bobby Neal and road manager/soundman Donald Clark Russell. The cause of the crash was a gas-fueled heater that had caused in-flight problems. Records showed that DC-3s in general, and this aircraft in particular, had a history of problems with the cabin heaters. Here, Nelson performs “Travelin’ Man” in 1961.
Posted on: Thu, 08 May 2014 06:25:57 +0000