Ricky Nelson, born Eric Hilliard Nelson on May 8, 1940 in Teaneck, New Jersey, was one of rock music’s first teen idols. He rose to prominence at a young age when he and his brother both appeared on their parents’ sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Ricky attended Gardner Street Public School and then Hollywood High School during the sixteen-year run of the sitcom.

He disliked studying, which irritated his father, Ozzie Nelson, who wanted Ricky to attend college. However, because Ricky earned more than an adult would in a year, approximately $100,000, his parents accepted his decision not to continue his education. Ricky, the Drummer, an episode titled Ricky, the Drummer, featured then-17-year-old Ricky performing a song recorded for the show, I’m Walking, which became an instant hit, reaching number 4 on Billboard’s Best Sellers list…

It’s safe to say that it introduced young Ricky to a completely new world, that of music. It wasn’t long before he was releasing other songs and becoming a household name in the industry. Garden Party, Fools Rush In, For You, Poor Little Fool, and Travelin’ Man are some of his other notable hits. Ricky married Kristin Harmon, who had a similar background to him, in 1963.

Sam Hilliard Nelson, twins Matthew Gray Nelson and Gunnar Eric Nelson, and daughter Tracy Kristine Nelson were their four children. Their marriage was picture-perfect at first, but problems arose when they both adopted a hippy lifestyle that included a lot of alcohol. Kristin eventually filed for divorce and was granted temporary custody of the children. They both accused each other of poor parenting at the time.

Unfortunately, Ricky was killed in a plane crash just months after they divorced. Rocky had a fear of flying from the moment he began touring. He even went to psychotherapy to help him overcome his fears and go on tour and meet fans. Ricky’s twins were on their way to accompany him to a New Year’s Eve show in Dallas. However, the singer had a strange feeling about the flight and decided to call his children at the last minute to inform them that they would not be flying with him.

“On that trip, we were supposed to be on the plane. “Our father called us right before we were supposed to come down to Alabama and meet him before flying with him to the New Year’s Eve show in Dallas,” Gunnar explained. Unfortunately, the DC-3 plane Ricky and his then-girlfriend Helen Blaine boarded caught fire, and while the pilot was able to land it, the passengers d-ied.

Rumors circulated that the plane’s gasoline heater was malfunctioning. However, the true cause of the tragedy remains unknown. Ricky’s gut instinct prior to the tragic flight that claimed his life helped prevent a much larger tragedy from occurring. His sons are now musicians in their own right, carrying on their father’s legacy. “It’s a labor of love, an open letter to our father, who was our best friend,” Matthew explains.