Many have no idea how big Ricky Nelson was

[moniss]

but he had hit after hit.

[Zambero]

1. And the kid could sing

Having James Burton as his guitarist didn't hurt either!

[rsdsharp]

4. Neither did the ability to have weekly TV exposure;

exposure his producer/actor father made certain was exclusively on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.

[moniss]

8. Yes indeed and when

music media talks about guitarists today they usually pass over James Burton and might make a mention or two of Scotty Moore. But if you were a guy coming up then and learning to play you pretty much wanted to sound like James or Scotty.

[Zambero]

15. And Elvis took note of those two

Among others

[Sneederbunk]

2. You have to have a memory of the 50's.

We are becoming fewer.

[moniss]

9. I remember a few years ago I mentioned to

someone that I regretted never having seen Don and Phil live. He said to me "Don and Phil who?" and I knew we had miles of gap despite him not being much younger than me.

[chicoescuela]

3. Didn't he go to garden party to reminisce with old friends?

Sad day when his plane crashed.

[Jim__]

5. He was big, but Ozzie and Harriet gave him a huge leg up.

[moniss]

10. Ozzie himself was a fairly popular guy

in music.

[PittBlue]

6. He was my first crush.

I was heartbroken when he died. I loved his music.

[Brainstormy]

7. His was one beautiful voice! n/t

[moniss]

11. Some of the first songs

I learned to sing.

[rickford66]

12. I loved the girlfriends on the show.

[twodogsbarking]

13. Smooth as a bikini wax.

[TommieMommy]

14. He was very talented. Gone too soon. So sad