Ricky Nelson, born Eric Hilliard Nelson on May 8, 1940, in Teaneck, New Jersey, became one of America\u2019s most beloved teen idols.<\/p>\n
The son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, he grew up on their sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, appearing with his brother David<\/p>\n
and becoming one of television\u2019s most visible young performers. At 17, his rendition of \u201cI\u2019m Walking\u201d on the show<\/p>\n
launched his recording career, reaching number four on the Billboard charts. Soon, hits like Poor Little Fool,<\/p>\n
Travelin\u2019 Man, Fools Rush In, and Garden Party secured his place in music history.<\/p>\n
In 1963, Ricky married Kristin Harmon, with whom he had four children: Sam, twins Matthew and Gunnar, and Tracy.<\/p>\n
Despite a fear of flying, he toured extensively and even sought therapy to cope with the anxiety.<\/p>\n
Tragically, in 1985, while en route to a New Year\u2019s Eve show, Ricky\u2019s DC-3 caught fire midair. Though the pilots landed,<\/p>\n
Ricky and other passengers perished. The cause remains unclear, though mechanical issues with the plane\u2019s heater were suspected.<\/p>\n
His foresight saved his sons, who were meant to join him but were told not to fly. Today,<\/p>\n
Matthew and Gunnar honor him through their own music, carrying forward Ricky Nelson\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ricky Nelson, born Eric Hilliard Nelson on May 8, 1940, in Teaneck, New Jersey, became one of America\u2019s most beloved teen idols. The son of Ozzie and… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44949,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n