Famous Musicians & Their Musical Kids: Ricky Nelson and Sons, Part 1
Thank you for including me in your Monday, kittens & dawgs! Our big giveaway is still underway. Have you entered yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Do it now!
[tweetthis]Celebrating the #4M 7th Anniversary with a big #giveaway. Join the fun & good luck! @xmasdolly[/tweetthis]
Okay, it’s time to kick this week off with some mewsic with “your choice” theme. Over the next several months, I have a special theme project in the works Famous Musicians & Their Musical Kids series planned. Now, I invite you to hit the dance floor with XmasDolly, Stacy, Colette, and little ole me with Ricky Nelson and Sons, Part 1!
The first famous dad in this sequence of posts is the 50s teen idol, Ricky Nelson.
Time plays tricks on my brain. I remember talk of Nelson’s death and reference to his teenie-bopper status. For some reason, my mind merged these facts leaving me to believe he passed away before adulthood. Anywho, you can imagine my surprise when I learned he died in a plane crash in 1985 at the age of 45. He wasn’t a teen and survived by four kids; Tracy Nelson (actress), twins Matthew and Gunnar (singers/mewsicians Nelson band) and Sam (singer H is Orange band).
No doubt, you recognize Ricky’s daughter from various TV shows and here is a short playlist spotlighting the Nelson brothers singing my favorite Ricky Nelson songs – Travelin’ Man, Hello Mary Lou, and Garden Party.
Matthew and Gunnar have recorded several albums since the 90s. I think their first album After The Rain may be their best. I, especially like the album cover song.
Although, Rick went through a long hair phase, his twins out did their dad. Their blonde mops make me think of Twisted Sister leader singer, Dee Snider. Vocally and visually, it’s like I’m getting a double take of Ricky Nelson hair metal style. Matthew and Gunnar harmonize beautifully together.
Sam looks like Ricky, too. His mewsic style is different. It’s moody and broody feeling and reminds me of the group, Breaking Benjamin. Here’s a song
Did you know that Ricky’s dad, Ozzie, was the bandleader and his mother, Harriet was a singer in the 30s?
What do you think of the Nelson brothers? Would you add their mewsic to your library? Do you have a favorite Ricky Nelson song?
Enjoy those lazy, crazy days of summer!
24 Comments
Colette S
You have quite a selection here Cathy. I admit I haven’t heard them all before. Thanks for sharing these an I hope you are enjoying this Summer! HUGS
mimi
Love the whole Nelson family, and music from the parents’ generation as well as the children’s music, so i’m glad you included both!
Cathy Kennedy
Mimi,
Having the whole musical clan in this segment is what made it special for me. I love discovering stuff like this it’s fun and intriguing!
15andmeowing
That is a talented family. Have a great week!
Cathy Kennedy
Thanks, Ellen! You do the same, my friend. 🙂
gracefulcoffee
We spent time together cooking for a BBQ!
Name: edye
Cathy Kennedy
Edye,
Thanks for dropping by for a visit. It’s always seeing a new face. 🙂 Have a songtastic day!
McGuffy's Reader
I am treading water, trying to catch up after Chloe Jo being so ill. I’m sorry. Hugs.
Cathy Kennedy
Annie,
Don’t stress it, my friend! If you can’t get around to everyone, then that’s fine by me. I totally understand and I know when things settle you’ll visit. I hope Choloe Jo gets better soon. I’ll say a prayer for your little furbaby.
Mary B
Three generations of Music! Great start to your series. I look forward to seeing the others, too. Am still kicking around the idea, my Willie and Lukas post had a lot of positive input. Hope you don’t think I’m stepping on toes if I continue with my series.
Cathy Kennedy
Mary,
It wouldn’t be a dance party without a few toes getting stepped on, right? LOL Seriously, think nothing of it and go for it! It’ll be fun to see what each of us come up with in this series! 🙂
Kisma
Cathy you took me back in time with all of these tunes! The Nelson twins were my favorite back in high school. What a great link up today!
Cathy Kennedy
Kisma,
So glad you enjoyed the blast from a not-so-distant past. lol
Patrick Weseman
Great post. Three generations of musical talent. All of them are great. Thanks for sharing this.
Cathy Kennedy
Anytime, Patrick! I’m glad you hopped over to listen to and dance to my song picks!
Debbie D.
The Nelson family is something akin to music royalty. Such an impressive history! I remember well when Ricky died in that plane crash on New Year’s Eve in 1985. We were celebrating at a friend’s home and saw the news bulletin. How sad to die so young! 🙁 Matthew and Gunner had beautiful hair when they were younger and still look good. They do have beautiful voices. Fabulous post, Cathy! 🙂 I’m joining the #4M gang today, as well. Have a great week!
Cathy Kennedy
Debbie,
Ricky Nelson was too young for sure and so sad! He has a talented group of kids. Thanks for dancing along with us today, my friend!
XmasDolly
Oh my goodness, my long ago idol, but quickly now because I have a long over due doctor’s appointment to make an appointment for my back shot… I’m only two months past due! SO EXCITED IT’S FINALLY HERE AND I can make the appointment. aughhhhh long story! Anyway love love love Ricky Nelson what a HUNK!!! I was reading about him & what happened! I didn’t know he got divorced. I mean dang… I thought they were the perfect couple. Oh well, he was such a doll and great tunes!!! His whole family was just so perfect weren’t they. They were definitely the definition of the perfect American Family! Great job girlfriend! Got me bee boppin’!!! BIG HUGS!
Alana Mautone (@RamblinGarden)
Memories of my childhood, listening to Traveling Man. I can still swoon over the song. I never knew the back story of Ricky’s parents – or what happened with his children. Still swooning over Traveling Man….
Cathy Kennedy
Alana,
Ricky Nelson had a magical voice. I can see how he stole so many teen hearts. Thanks for popping over!
Thomas Anderson
Hi, Cathy!
This is my kind of post! I love the studio recordings of Ricky/Rick Nelson and always looked forward to episodes of his family television show, The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet, in which Ricky and his band performed for his teenage friends. I featured Ricky’s mewsic in a two-parter on my own blog a few years ago. Your fine post branched out to include Rick’s mewsical parents – bandleader and crooner Ozzie and big band frontwoman Harriet -. and also introduced the recorded works of Rick’s mewsical sons. I also remember Rick’s actress daughter Tracy from her late 80s/early 90s role as a nun on the TV series Father Dowling Mysteries starring “Mr. C.” from happy days – Tom Bosley.
I vividly recall how shocked I was when I awoke New Year’s Day 1986 to the news that Rick and his band had died the night before in a plane crash – another tremendous loss to mewsic.
“Travelin’ Man” is one of my top favorites by Rick Nelson. Among my other favorites is a moderately successful doublesided single released by Rick in the spring of 1964 during the lean period in his career when radio stations and record buyers abandoned American teen idols and focused on The Beatles and British Invasion bands. On the A side of Rick’s single is “The Very Thought Of You,” a rock ‘n’ roll update of a 1930’s pop standard. The B side has Rick covering “I Wonder If Your Love Will Ever Belong To Me” originally recorded three years earlier by the neo-doo-wop group The Pentagons.
I agree with you that the Nelson band’s first album After The Rain was their best and it was fun to review it this morning while sipping my coffee. I especially like the sound of Rick’s youngest son Sam Nelson and his LA-based rock band H Is Orange. The band derived its name from Sam’s medical condition that causes him to see words and letters in color.
I thoroughly enjoyed all of these clips, dear friend Cathy. Thank you and have a wonderful week!
Cathy Kennedy
Tom,
It’s a joy to see your visit this morning and as always you’ve added something new. I did not know the factoid about Sam Nelson’s band name. I had not heard of the medical condition that makes someone see words and letters in color. That actually doesn’t sound like a bad problem to have but this is from an outsiders perspective. While it sounds cool, I’m sure it’s not cool at all. It is interesting, though. Sam’s medical condition makes me think of something DD#2 told me. She said that most people dream in black and white and only few dream in color which makes wonder if the two have anything to do with each other. Hmmm, I guess it’s time to do a little internet sleuthing. Thanks for dancing with me this morning, my friend. Have a tunetastic week!
greyzoned/angelsbark
Oh Fabulous post Cathy! This is fantastic. I love Ricky Nelson. I remember listening to his songs as a kid. My parents had some of his albums. And I sure do remember watching The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet show!
I love all three of the Ricky Nelson songs you showcased but I think my favorite is Garden Party. I always lump those three songs (Travelin’ Man, Hello MaryLou and Garden Party) together, yet there were eleven years between T.Man/MaryLou and Garden Party!
I especially liked the video of the three brothers doing Garden Party. Those boys sure do look like their father, especially Sam!
Speaking of Sam, his band, H is Orange, is as interesting as the name. I love how the name stems from the condition that Sam has where he sees letters and words in color! I had never heard of that before! I like some of his songs but some I had to fast-forward through. I really liked Nothing All the Time. Good Humor and Writers Block are pretty good too. I’ll have to give a listen to the whole playlist.
And the twins: Wowsa, love their long hair on that album cover! For sure I like their music better than Sam’s. Sam’s is a little too hard for me.
And thank you for posting some of Ozzie’s orchestra! I didn’t remember that Ozzie was a band leader and Harriet was a singer. Listening to this fabulous big band sound right now and it’s a great way to kick start my week…
Although I’m actually going to head to bed in a few minutes: it’s 4am now and I need to catch some sleep before I call it Monday 🙂
Excellent post. This is going to be a great series Cathy! I’ll look forward to future installments!
Have a great week,
Michele at Angels Bark
Cathy Kennedy
Michele,
Thanks for sharing the dance floor with me this morning. I’m always delighted in reading how well a new series is accepted. It’s amazing how much Ricky’s kids favor him. I don’t know if I would’ve made the connection had I not done the research. Have a tunetastic week and I’ll see ya around, my friend!