Ricky Nelson, beloved teen idol and one of the most televised musicians of his time, rose to fame through his family’s hit sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Born in 1940 in New Jersey, Ricky joined the show as a child alongside his brother David. Though he disliked school, Ricky was already earning $100,000 a year by his teens and launched a music career with his hit “I’m Walking” at age 17.
He went on to release several chart-topping songs like “Garden Party” and “Travelin’ Man,” often debuting them on the family show. In 1963, he married Kristin Harmon, with whom he had four children, including twin sons Matthew and Gunnar, and daughter Tracy.
Despite his fear of flying, Ricky frequently traveled for concerts. Just before a New Year’s performance in Dallas in 1985, he made a last-minute decision to not have his sons join him on the flight. That choice saved their lives. The DC-3 plane caught fire midair and crash-landed in Texas, killing Ricky and all other passengers. The cause remains a mystery, though faulty equipment is suspected.
Ricky’s sons later honored their father by launching their own music careers. As Matthew Nelson put it, their work is “an open letter to our dad, who was our best friend.”