Nelson began his entertainment career in 1949, playing himself in the radio sitcom series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 1952, he appeared in his first feature film, Here Come the Nelsons. In 1957, he recorded his first single ("I'm Walkin' b/w "A Teenager's Romance", Verve 10047X4S), debuted as a singer on the television version of the sitcom, and released the No. 1 album titled Ricky. In 1958, Nelson released his first #1 single, "Poor Little Fool", and in 1959 received a Golden Globe nomination for "Most Promising Male Newcomer" after starring in Rio Bravo. A few films followed, and when the television series was cancelled in 1966, Nelson made occasional appearances as a guest star on various television programs. In his twenties, he moved away from the pop music of his youth, and began to perform in a more country rock style. After recording several albums with mostly session musicians, most of which flopped, he formed the Stone Canyon Band in 1969 and experienced a career resurgence, buoyed by the live album In Concert at the Troubadour, 1969 and had a surprise hit with 1972's "Garden Party", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. His comeback was short-lived, however, as his record label was bought out and folded, and his followup albums were not well promoted by his new label. He continued to perform live and take small television roles through the 1970s, though his label dropped him by the end of the decade. He released two more albums, with unimpressive results, before his death in a plane crash on New Year's Eve, 1985.
Nelson was married once, to Sharon Kristin Harmon, from 1963 until their divorce in 1982. They had four children: actress Tracy Nelson, twin sons and musicians Gunnar and Matthew, and actor Sam.
Nelson was born on May 8, 1940, in Teaneck, New Jersey. He was the second son of entertainment couple Harriet Hilliard Nelson (born Peggy Lou Snyder; July 18, 1909 – October 2, 1994) and Ozzie Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975). His father Ozzie was of half Swedish descent. The Nelsons' older son was actor David Nelson (October 24, 1936 – January 11, 2011).
On May 8, 1961 (his 21st birthday), he officially modified his recording name from "Ricky Nelson" to "Rick Nelson". His childhood nickname proved hard to shake, especially among the generation who had watched him grow up on "Ozzie and Harriet". Even in the 1980s, when Nelson realized his dream of meeting Carl Perkins, Perkins noted that he and "Ricky" were the last of the "rockabilly breed".
In 1963, Nelson signed a 20-year contract with Decca Records. After some early successes with the label, most notably 1964's "For You" (#6), Nelson's chart career came to a dramatic halt in the wake of Beatlemania, The British Invasion, and later the Counterculture era. However, instead of dropping him, Decca kept him on board.
In the mid-1960s, Nelson began to move towards country music, becoming a pioneer in the country-rock genre. He was one of the early influences of the so-called "California Sound" (which would include singers like Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt and bands such as Eagles). Yet Nelson himself did not reach the Top 40 again until 1970, when he recorded Bob Dylan's "She Belongs to Me" with the Stone Canyon Band, featuring Randy Meisner, who in 1971 became a founding member of the Eagles, and former Buckaroo steel guitarist Tom Brumley.
Nelson died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1985, flying from Guntersville, Alabama, to Dallas, Texas, for a concert. The plane he was on, a Douglas DC-3, had a history of mechanical problems. All seven passengers, including Blair, died. Only the two pilots survived.
Nelson's funeral took place at the Church of the Hills, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery, on January 6, 1986, and he was privately buried in the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery, in Los Angeles. His estate was bequeathed to his children.
Tryin' To Get To You
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
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Even through the valley's too
I've been travelin' night and day
Runnin' all the way
Baby tryin' to get to you
Ever since I read your letters
Where you said you loved me true
Runnin' all the way
Baby tryin' to get to you
When I read your lovin' letters
Then my heart began to sing
There were many miles between us
But they didn't mean a thing
I just had to reach you baby
'Spite of all that I've been through
I kept travelin' night and day
Runnin' all the way
Baby tryin' to get to you
When I read your lovin' letters
Then my heart began to sing
There were many miles between us
But they didn't mean a thing
I just had to reach you baby
'Spite of all that I've been through
I kept travelin' night and day
Runnin' all the way
Baby tryin' to get to you
I kept travelin' night and day
Runnin' all the way
Baby tryin' to get to you
The lyrics "Tryin' to Get to You" by Ricky Nelson speaks about a journey of a man who is trying to get to the one he loves. He has been travelling over mountains and through valleys, day and night, running all the way just to get to her. His inspiration to keep going is the love letters she sent him where she professed her true love for him. He feels that she is worth all the effort and distance he has to go through. He cannot resist her love, and even though there are many miles between them, he must reach her no matter what.
This song demonstrates the lengths a person would go for love, and how the power of love can push people forward even when it is difficult. The singer knows that reaching his love will not be easy, yet, he persists and keeps running all the way. The resilience portrayed in this song is inspiring, and it showcases the dedication and pureness of love.
Overall, "Tryin' to Get to You" is a love song that demonstrates the power of love and how it can motivate and drive a person to do incredible things, even if they face challenges along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been travelin' over mountains
I have traveled over mountains in my effort to reach you.
Even through the valley's too
I have traveled through valleys as well as mountains to get to you.
I've been travelin' night and day
I have traveled both day and night without rest or sleep to reach you.
Runnin' all the way
I have been running tirelessly in my quest to reach you.
Baby tryin' to get to you
My ultimate goal in all this traveling and running is to reach you, my beloved.
When I read your lovin' letters
Your letters, filled with words of love and affection, have been my motivation throughout this journey.
Then my heart began to sing
Reading your letters brought immense joy to my heart and renewed my spirits.
There were many miles between us
The distance between us has been great and difficult to cover.
But they didn't mean a thing
However, the distance didn't diminish my love for you or my determination to reach you.
I just had to reach you baby
I was driven by an all-consuming desire to reach you, no matter what the cost.
'Spite of all that I've been through
Despite all the hardships and obstacles I faced along the way, my love for you kept me going.
I kept travelin' night and day
I persisted in my journey, never stopping, and pushing forward day and night.
Runnin' all the way
I continued running towards you with all my strength and perseverance.
Baby tryin' to get to you
Because the only thing that mattered to me was reaching you, my beloved.
Contributed by Lauren L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.