Considering their family line, it comes as little surprise that twin brothers Matthew and Gunnar Nelson - grandchildren of sitcom stars Ozzie and Harriet Nelson and sons of country-rock idol Ricky Nelson - inherited the entertainment gene.
The brothers picked up their first instruments around the age of 6, started playing clubs in LA at 12, got a record deal at 20 and had their first No. 1 hit at the ripe old age of 22.
Still, they were determined to explore their own path. The Nelsons steered away from the country-rock of their father and dove instead into the world of hair-band pop-rock in the '90s with their band, Nelson.
They sold a lot of records, toured the world and made albums on their own terms. But no matter where they went, Matthew Nelson said - be it Indonesia or Chicago - people asked them to play the hits of their father, songs like "Garden Party," "Hello Mary Lou" and "I'm Walking."
They finally acquiesced about 15 years ago, he said, during a concert at a naval base in Japan.
"For two hours, we played our dad's songs. And these 18-, 19-year-old kids had the time of their lives," Nelson said. "We looked at each other and said, 'What are we waiting for?'"
Nelson said playing the songs of their father, which had comprised "the soundtrack of our lives," led the brothers to realize just how huge the elder Nelson's influence had been on their sound, work ethic and musical careers. And the music made them feel closer to him.
"Our dad was our best friend, and we missed him less when we played his songs," he said.
Playing those tunes has evolved into "Ricky Nelson Remembered," a concert that incorporates songs, video, interviews and a whole lot of memories into a musical celebration of a country-rock icon.
The Nelsons are bringing that show to Fort Lewis College's Community Concert Hall on Wednesday.
Matthew Nelson said it would be insufficient to call "Ricky Nelson Remembered" a tribute show.
"It's not a tribute, it's a celebration," he said. "We play some music, talk to the audience, tell some stories. It's funny and energetic because that's what he was like."
Ricky Nelson was also a musical phenomenon; the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer sold more than 450 million records with his swinging pop-country sound and is considered to be the prototype of the "teen idol."
As the son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson - who enjoyed big-band success along with television popularity - Ricky Nelson was introduced to the world on their sitcom "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet." He went on to make his own mark in the music world with a string of country-rock hits such as "Poor Little Fool," "Lonesome Town" and "Travelin' Man." Some 53 of his singles made the Billboard Hot 100 list, and Nelson was adored by teen fans.
Nelson died in a plane crash on his way to perform a New Year's Eve concert in 1985. But he left a strong legacy both in the music world and in his family. Matthew Nelson said he and his brother learned a great deal about hard work from their father.
"He never phoned in a show," Nelson said. "He worked really hard. Gunnar and I try to do that. That's really what we picked up, was the work ethic."
To that end, he said, "this show is a labor of love because it's more than a show for us. This is us representing everything we are ... We treat it like it's the first and last show we'll ever play. We leave it all on the stage."
And what the Nelsons find, over and over again, he said, is that the energy and music of their father continues to resonate with audiences.
"We get a standing ovation every night, and it's because we've taken people on a journey," he said. "We make sure that people went to a different place for a couple hours."
kklingsporn@durangoherald.com
If you go
Matthew and Gunnar Nelson will perform 'Ricky Nelson Remembered' at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Drive. Tickets start at $26 and are available at www.durangoconcerts.com.
