Nelson performs at Brown County Playhouse as latest generation of Nelson family performers
Matthew Nelson and identical twin brother Gunnar Nelson have sold 5 million records, had five No. 1 MTV videos and six Billboard Top 40 hits. Some know them as the grandsons of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson from "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," an American TV show that ran on ABC from 1952 to1966, starring the Nelson family itself. Others know them for their pop rock.
Matthew and Gunnar, performing in the rock band Nelson, come to the Brown County Playhouse July 25.
Most fans don't recognize Ozzie, Harriet or Ricky
"Our fans have no idea who Ozzie and Harriet, or even Ricky Nelson, are," Matthew said on the phone. Musician and TV star Ricky Nelson was the twins' father and died in a plane crash in 1985 when he was 45.
"My dad just had a feeling about that plane that day," Matthew said of the restored DC3 that had once belonged to Jerry Lee Lewis. The twins were to have flown that day with their father, but thanks to Ricky's advice, didn't board.
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"Dad was adamant about our not flying with him that day."
The Guinness Book of World Records lists the extended Nelson household as the only family to reach No. 1 record status in three consecutive generations.
"I knew Grandpa Ozzie fairly well. He died when I young, but Harriet was our buddy. And she loved our long (blond) hair."
Not a hair metal band
Speaking of the twins' signature hair, Matthew said that for awhile he and Gunnar got lumped into the "hair metal band" genre, which includes groups such as Motley Crue, Twisted Sister and Poison.
"Guns N' Roses looked scary," Matthew said. "We got a lot of hate from metal bands in the U.S. but not in Europe." He and Gunnar sought a happier look for their image. Especially after a fashion maven in the U.K. approached them "telling us we looked awful." The twins started hiring designers to stir up a new image: thigh-high scarlet boots, shimmery purple jackets and long white coats would adorn them.
"We're like a harder edged version of The Hollies (the 1960s' "Bus Stop," Carrie Anne," etc.)"
Matthew and Gunnar began drawing mega attention with their first album, "After the Rain," in 1990. It rose to No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the charts for 64 weeks. Its No. 1 smash "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" was also a gold single, and their subsequent single "After the Rain" joined the Hot 100's top 10, rising to No. 6 (1991).
The Recording Industry Association of America — measuring the number of units sold and streamed — certified the album as double platinum. In fact "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" is the single that reinforced the twins' spot as third-generation representatives of the Nelson family show business success in "Guinness."
"The Nelsons" and SNL
When Ricky Nelson died in the plane crash, Matthew and Gunnar had been calling their band The Nelsons. The Nelsons was the first unsigned act to entertain as musicians on "Saturday Night Live" (1986), singing "Walk Away."
Gunnar surprised fans by switching from drumming to guitar as he continued to co-front for the duo. Writing and producing mentor John Boylan guided the twins in honing their songwriting and creating a signature sound. The result is a cocktail of rock, "genetic" harmonies, pop hooks (catchy segments grabbing a listener's attention) and country lyrics.
Other famous ties, including Mark Harmon
On their mother's side, Matthew and Gunnar are grandsons of Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon and nephews of actor Mark Harmon (TV series "NCIS").
Fans from the 1990s know the twins from MTV and also the TV series "Saturday Morning Videos," "Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve," "The Arsenio Hall Show" and others. Bookstore racks displayed the twins' pictures on covers of People Magazine, Metal Edge, Teen Beat and 16 Magazine.
"Love and Affection" is featured in the Adam Sandler/Jennifer Hudson Netflix comedy "Sandy Wexler" (2017), and last year Nelson's "After the Rain" was featured in an episode of HBO's "Righteous Gemstones."
"Our mother didn't have the mom gene," Matthew said. When the twins turned 18 they went to live with dad Ricky. Ricky recognized the boys as his musical peers. "Our mother's not wanting us to pursue music as a career actually motivated us to perform."
Walking down a street one day, Matthew ran in to Prince. The American musical icon's remarks have lingered: "I love your sound. Keep doing it."
Brown County Playhouse keeps attracting talent
For the past couple of years, the Brown County Playhouse has been attracting popular professional entertainers, thanks in part to director of programming Robert McCutcheon bringing in talent and Carolyn McCutcheon writing grants and managing the playhouse.
"Just about every show is sold out," said board vice president Andy Szakaly. "Our success is really a combination of things. And we certainly don't have to go begging for volunteers now." That's because volunteers get free tickets, and lately the shows are ones they really want to see.
If you go
WHAT: An Evening with Nelson — Acoustic Duo, with special guest Phil Pierle
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. July 25
WHERE: Brown County Playhouse, 70 S. Van Buren St., Nashville
TICKETS: $50-$60 at https://browncountyplayhouse.org/#events1; 812-988-6555.
MORE: Find the Nelson Nelsontwins.com, on Facebook at Nelson the Band and on Instagram.