The Life of Beloved Star Ricky Nelson and His Tragic Demise

By the mid-1970s, Rick and Kristin Harmon were experiencing serious problems after more than a decade of marriage. Rick spent long stretches away touring, while financial pressures and disagreements over their lifestyles created growing tension at home.

Kristin later described substance use as another major source of conflict in the relationship. The private reality was increasingly distant from the wholesome Nelson-family image that television audiences had watched for years. With four children and years of shared history between them, the couple did not separate cleanly or quickly. Their troubled marriage was heading toward a long and increasingly bitter legal battle.