The Life of Beloved Star Ricky Nelson and His Tragic Demise

His first Imperial single, “Be-Bop Baby,” became another immediate success, reaching No. 3 on the pop chart and selling more than one million copies. His debut album, Ricky, performed even better, climbing all the way to No. 1.

Ozzie increasingly worked Ricky’s songs into The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, often placing musical performances near the end of episodes. Television and records now promoted each other, giving Ricky an enormous advantage over other young singers. Yet behind that polished television image, he was beginning to build a serious rock-and-roll band of his own.