Matthew Nelson (musician)
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Matthew Nelson |
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Matthew Gray Nelson (born September 20, 1967 in Santa Monica, California) is an American singer/songwriter/musician and international multi-platinum recording artist. He is the son of actress Kristin Harmon and the late teen idol Ricky Nelson. Along with his twin brother Gunnar, Matthew has been a member of the pop/rock band Nelson since 1990. Their single, "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" was a #1 hit in September of 1990[1]
Biography
Matthew Nelson is the son of the late American teen idol Ricky Nelson and actress Kristin Harmon. He is the identical twin brother of songwriter/musician Gunnar Nelson and brother of Tracy Nelson (actress) and musician Sam Nelson.
His paternal grandparents are Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard from the long running TV series The Adventures of 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.[2]
Matthew is married to model/actress, Yvette Nelson (a.k.a. Yvette Stevens & "Yvette Shilo Stevens"), who starred in a film by the name Crying back.
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 [3] 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).
Matthew co-founded Stone Canyon Records label with brother Gunnar in 1995 after leaving Geffen Records. He released seven albums on that label. [4]
Matthew plays a variety of instruments, including the bass guitar, electric and acoustic guitars, and piano.
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. Matthew and Gunnar continue to tour the world, performing for audiences ranging from 20 close friends at Nashville's intimate Bluebird 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 Matthew and Gunnar, 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.
Recent work
Currently, Matthew 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 his label 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. Matthew and Gunnar 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.[5]
In May 2007, Matthew and Gunnar 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.
In addition, Matthew is a special guest performer in celebrity all-star rock band, Scrap Metal which was founded by his twin brother. 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 band is represented by the William Morris Agency [6]
Matthew appeared on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s" with twin Gunnar. 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. [7]
Singer Songwriter Matthew Nelson recently recorded the 2007 American Music Awards TV show production music for Dick Clark Productions. It was the third consecutive year the talented singer-songwriter and world-class musician played bass guitar and recorded music for the American Music Awards TV show that aired on the ABC broadcast television network.[8]
References
- ^ Billboard Music Charts - Latest Music News - Music Videos
- ^ Nielsen Media Research
- ^ Billboard.com
- ^ www.TheNelsonBrothers.com
- ^ Matthew & Gunnar Nelson to Release a 'Monster Christmas' Hit Song
- ^ William Morris Agency
- ^ vh1.com
- ^ Matthew Nelson Records Music for 2007 American Music Awards
External links
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