“Secondly, we’ve been out touring like crazy, doing these Ricky Nelson Remembered shows and developing them. So, it’s very different, if anyone saw it before. Now, we’ve gone more toward the Stone Canyon Band era, the second phase of our dad’s career ... It was that whole Laurel Canyon sound thing ... The stories have been developed, and the video is different,” he said.
Ricky Nelson Remembered is a musical celebration of America’s first “Teen Idol,” Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ricky Nelson. He emerged from “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet” to establish himself as one of the most important rock artists and influential musicians of the time, selling over 140 million recordings.
“Throughout all the years with Matthew and I being on our tours, and being lucky enough to sell millions of records of our own to kids who had no idea who Ricky Nelson was, without an exception, every single show back then, we seemed to perform for a promoter, perhaps one generation older, we always got asked about playing some of our dad’s tunes, constantly,” Nelson said.
Later, Matthew and Gunnar decided if they were going to play their dad’s songs, it deserved its own show.
“Let’s face it, the guy pioneered rock n’ roll in mainstream American living rooms at a critical time in its history,” said Nelson. “… It’s important to note that our father literally lived and died for rock n’ roll. He could have gone down the path of being a fine film actor after being in movies like ‘Rio Bravo,’ and winning Golden Globes for his acting work, but he really made a conscious decision to be a musician first and an actor second. It’s important to note he was doing 300 shows a year up until the day he died, and he was on the way to a show when the plane took his life.”
Nelson starred alongside his family in the television series “The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet,” co-starred with John Wayne and Dean Martin in “Rio Bravo,” and placed 53 songs on the Billboard Hot 100. His single “Poor Little Fool” is considered to be the first number one song on the chart.
After 19 more top ten hits, Nelson was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1987 and he is ranked No. 49 on TV Guide’s “50 Greatest TV Stars Of All Time.”
Gunnar said Ricky inspired a lot of early musicians, and it encouraged many of them to pick up their own guitars.
“Doing this Ricky Nelson show in my heart and in my mind truly keeps my father alive,” he said.
Ricky Nelson Remembered Starring Matthew and Gunnar Nelson — also known as the triple platinum recording artist Nelson — will be at the Sorg Opera House in Middletown on Friday, July 26, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the concert range from $25 to $35 in advance and can be purchased online at www.sorgoperahouse.org/tickets/rickynelsonremembered.
“Also, the thing that is most exciting is for the first time, we actually get to sing with our father on stage, and we get to use technology to do that. So, that’s a new thing, too,” Nelson said.
The twins will perform some of their dad’s greatest hits, including “Poor Little Fool,” “Hello Mary Lou,” “Travelin’ Man,” “I’m Walking,” and “Garden Party,” alongside their self-penned chart toppers “Love & Affection,” and “After the Rain.”
How to go
What: Ricky Nelson Remembered Starring Matthew and Gunnar Nelson
When: Fri., July 26 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Sorg Opera House, 63 S. Main Street, Middletown
Admission: Advance tickets range from $25-$35. Advance reserved seats are $25; advance premium seating $30 and advance super premium seating $35. Advance box seats are $30 (must buy all four seats in a box, includes one drink voucher per seat.) For more info., or to purchase tickets, go to www.sorgoperahouse.org/tickets/rickynelsonremembered. The box office at the Sorg opens at 6 p.m. the night of the show.
More info.: www.sorgoperahouse.org/tickets/rickynelsonremembered. Free parking behind the building, off of Broad St. and First St.
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