Gunnar Nelson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Gunnar Nelson | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gunnar Eric Nelson |
| Born | September 20, 1967 Santa Monica, California, United States |
| Genre(s) | Rock, Adult Contemporary, Pop, Country |
| Instrument(s) | vocals, guitar, drums |
| Years active | 1989 – present |
| Website | Official Nelson Website |
Gunnar Eric Nelson (born September 20, 1967 in Santa Monica, California) is an American musician and singer/songwriter and international multi-platinum recording artist.
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[edit] Family
Gunnar is the son of the late American teen idol Ricky Nelson and actress Kristin Harmon. He is the identical twin brother of musician Matthew Nelson and brother of Tracy Nelson (actress) and musician Sam Nelson.[1]
His paternal grandparents are Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard from the long running TV series Ozzie and Harriet.
His maternal grandparents are football player and sports broadcaster Tom Harmon and the 1940s "B" movie actress Elyse Knox. His maternal uncle is actor Mark Harmon.
The Nelson family is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the ONLY family with 3 generations of #1 music hits -- making them unique as America's first family of entertainers. Ozzie Nelson had #1 music hit "And Then Some" in 1934, Ricky Nelson had number one hits "Poor Little Fool" in 1960 and "Travelin' Man" in 1962, and Gunnar Nelson and Matthew Nelson as NELSON hit number one in 1990 with "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection". The A&E Biography show on the Nelson family was one of their highest rated episodes.
[edit] Music
The Nelson brothers spent two years learning how to write songs and in the process, met LA artist/producer Marc Tanner who became their mentor. Together, Marc, Gunnar, and Matthew brainstormed and wrote what would become the triple-platinum After The Rain album in 1990 after being signed to Geffen Records in 1989.
Their singles, "(I Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection", "After the Rain", "More Than Ever", "Only Time Will Tell" and "(You Got Me) All Shook Up," all held positions on Billboard's top 40 with "Love and Affection" reaching #1 in September of 1990 after receiving airplay on MTV where they also had #1 videos.
When "Love and Affection" reached the #1 position on the charts, the Nelsons landed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the only family to have #1 records in three successive generations (their grandfather, Ozzie Nelson, had a #1 hit with "And Then Some" in 1934, and their father, Ricky Nelson, had #1 hits with "Poor Little Fool" in 1960 and "Travelin' Man" in 1962).
Gunnar co-founded Stone Canyon Records label with brother Matthew in 1995 after leaving Geffen Records. He released seven albums on that label.
Gunnar plays a variety of instruments, including the drums, electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, piano, and bazouki. [2]
Nelson has also had remote success overseas (but not in the US), garnering #1 hits in Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand - where English is sometimes a second language. Gunnar and Matthew continue to tour the world, performing for audiences ranging from 20 close friends at Nashville's intimate Blue Bird Cafe to crowds of over 60,000 (their largest) at Erie, PA's Party at the Pier.
Magazines including Rolling Stone and People Magazine did cover stories on Gunnar and Matthew, and they have performed on popular television shows including Late Night With David Letterman and Saturday Night Live in 1986.
Recently Nelson has toured extensively with Peter Frampton and Styx.[citation needed]
[edit] Celebrity Fit Club 3
In 2005, Gunnar became a cast member of Celebrity Fit Club (US TV series) 3 after actor Jeff Conaway left due to drug related problems. The show began airing on VH1 in 2006.[citation needed]
Even though to most observers -- including the other cast members -- Gunnar wasn't extremely overweight (he was only a few pounds from the ideal weight for someone of his stature according to the show's experts), Gunnar said he wanted to exchange fat for muscle during his first appearance on the show and noted that he had already been losing weight on his own before being asked to become a cast member.
Gunnar also appeared to have issues with his mother which the show's psychologist, Linda Papadopoulos, helped him work through during a televised trip to see his mother in New Mexico. On the trip home, Gunnar told Papdopoulos he felt validated by his mother for the first time.
During the show, he lost a total of 23 pounds and he continued to lose weight after the show ended. Gunnar started the show at 175 and weighed 152 at the finale, losing 13.1% of his body weight. After the show ended, Gunnar lost a few more pounds. He now maintains a weight around 150.
[edit] TV & Radio
Besides starring in VH1's celebrity reality TV series, "Celebrity Fit Club 3", Gunnar and Matthew have hosted and appeared on numerous E! and VH1 TV specials.
Gunnar was the co-host of nationally syndicated radio morning show "LIFETIME RADIO" for a year for Jones Radio.
[edit] Recent Work
Currently, Gunnar is touring with his band Nelson performing full band shows as well as acoustic duos with his brother. The headline shows include their own hits as well as those of their late father, Ricky Nelson. A live concert CD, "Like Fathers, Like Sons" was released through Stone Canyon Records. It features their Pop's famous hit songs, as well as a tribute song they wrote to their late father called, "Just Once More". The song "Just Once More" was featured on CBS' daytime drama, "The Bold & the Beautiful" in a Valentine's episode aired in February 2006. Along with the pop/metal music they have always performed, the Nelson brothers have also recorded country music.[3]
Gunnar and Matthew Nelson released a new rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock" on Razor and Tie Record’s “Monster Ballads Xmas” album CD for Christmas 2007, a follow up to the popular ‘Monster’ rock series albums. The Nelson Brothers previously collaborated with Razor and Tie on the double platinum multi million selling “Monsters of Rock” and “Monster Ballads” albums.
[4]
In May 2007, Gunnar and Matthew Nelson released a new rendition of their father's #1 hit, "Travelin' Man", on a limited edition compilation CD, "A Song For My Father" featuring offspring of icons performing their music hits sold exclusively at Target Stores.[5] [6]
Gunnar released the song "Rockin' Little Roadster" on the Disney/Pixar CARS soundtrack CD "Lightning McQueen's FAST TRACKS" in 2006. Disney has asked Gunnar to record another song on the upcoming follow up CD with Fred Mullens in 2008. [7]
In addition, Gunnar along with fellow musician Mark Slaughter of rock band SLAUGHTER ("Fly to the Angels") have formed a band called Scrap Metal for which they are currently recording material and planning a tour with famous leading front men of 80s and 90s rock metal bands such as Kelly Keagy of NIGHT RANGER ("Sister Christian"), Eric Martin of MR. BIG ("To Be With You") and Matthew Nelson of NELSON ("After the Rain"). The celebrity rock super group is represented by the William Morris Agency. [8]
Gunnar appeared on VH1's TV special "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s" with twin Matthew Nelson. Nelson's #1 hit "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" was voted and ranked #96 in the special honoring the 100 greatest hits of the nineties.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ rickySplash
- ^ Matthew & Gunnar Nelson are the Nelsons and this is their Official Website
- ^ Youtube - "Just Once More"-Ridge And Brooke
- ^ Matthew & Gunnar Nelson to Release a 'Monster Christmas' Hit Song
- ^ 180 Music . Spotlight Music Series . Press Release
- ^ Amazon.com: A Song For My Father: Various Artists,Salvador Santana,Matthew and Gunnar Nelson,A.J. Croce,Jen Chapin,Devon Allman's Honeytribe,Louise Goffin,Ben Taylor,Ky-Mani Marley,Adam Cohen: Music
- ^ Amazon.com: Cars: Lightning McQueen's Fast Tracks: Disney: Music
- ^ William Morris Agency
