Ricky was one of the most likeable stars of the rock ‘n’ roll era, with his laidback rockabilly style and smooth delivery. Among his many hits were “Hello Mary Lou,” “Lonesome Town,” “It’s Late,” “Believe What You Say,” “Poor Little Fool,” “Travelin’ Man” and “Stood Up.”

After the hits began to dry up in the mid-60s, Ricky moved into country rock and produced some fine songs, although not repeating his early success. His final top 40 hit was the excellent “Garden Party” in 1972, which hit number six on the Billboard Hot 100.

Ricky Nelson – “Lonesome Town”

For more on Ricky Nelson, check our Ricky Nelson 70th birthday tribute

Ricky is sometimes overlooked by rock historians, but he had a solid band in the early days, including the great James Burton, and made some good rockabilly tunes. From 1957 to 1962, he had 30 Top-40 hits, which made him the third most successful singer of the time, behind Elvis (53) and Pat Boone (38).

In the mid-60s, Ricky became a pioneer of country rock, but had limited chart success. His final Top 40 hit was the classic ‘Garden Party’, which reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and went Gold.

A new generation heard Ricky through the appearance of ‘Lonesome Town’ on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack album in the early 90s. Here’s Ricky singing it on the Ossie and Harriet Show in 1958:

For more Ricky Nelson videos, head over to the rock ‘n’ roll video pages.

Today also marks the birthday of the legendary bluesman Robert Johnson, who influenced countless giants of popular music and none more so than the great Eric Clapton. Johnson would have been 98 today. Here’s Clapton paying tribute to his hero: