(b. Eric Hilliard Nelson, 8 May 1940, Teaneck, New Jersey,  d. 31 December 1985, De Kalb, Texas)

One of his greatest moments as a pop singer occurred in the spring of 1961 when he issued the million-selling Travelin Man’ backed with the exuberant Gene Pitney composition Hello Mary Lou. Shortly after the single topped the US charts, Nelson celebrated his 21st birthday and announced that he was changing his performing name from Ricky to Rick.  A performance at Madison Square Garden in late 1971 underlined Nelson’s difficulties at the time. Although he had recently issued the accomplished RICK SINGS NELSON, on which he wrote every track, the audience were clearly more interested in hearing his early ’60s hits. Nelson responded by composing the sarcastic Garden Party, which reaffirmed his determination to go his own way. The single, ironically, went on to sell a million and was his last hit record.  On 31 December 1985, a chartered plane carrying him to a concert date in Dallas caught fire and crashed near De Kalb, Texas. To buy the out of print: Teenage Idol Travellin’ Man The Complete Biography of Rick Nelson by Bashe, P