The Big Huerta Rushes In Where Angels Fear To Tread

Rick Nelson (Oil) by Edward Huerta

There have many quarrels amongst the nerd-elite upon how we should address Mr. Nelson. Do we call him Ricky or Rick? For most of us, we all know him as Ricky, growing up in that hard to follow perfect family life that ruined a million kids and families in their adult years, trying in vain and wondering why their childhoods never mirrored the Nelsons, no fighting parents, pops worked in a wonderful job, house perfectly dusted, and mom waiting in party dress, serving dinner to a well-rested bread winner and wonderfully scrubbed and behaved, polite kids that for the most part, got along like gangbusters (ya’ll, like that word?). Lonely teen idol Ricky, the acoustic guitar slinging wunderboy that hung out in the bedroom with James Burton. And like all of us, who didn’t grow up having James Burton over for a little r and r? Or do we call him Rick? Rick, I believe is the chosen moniker that Mr. Nelson preferred. Well with me, I have called him both. I think to a lot of people that grew up in the 50’s, and the black and white era of television, he will always be Ricky. Me, I caught the reruns on local L.A. tv where with the remote, you could literally watch the dial turn clunkily around, so I missed all the teenage idol swoon hoopla. But regardless, or as TBH loves to use the non-word “irregardless”, his music carried through the generations. He was a drop dead gorgeous kid with real talent that happened to be luckily exposed in a weekly show when rock and roll was creaming teen babies. It’s a drag that most people wouldn’t let him grow up. Sure he had a dry spell. Sure he stopped to raise a family. Sure he had troubles like all the rest of us. But (use Belushi voice) Big Huerta, he was Rick(y) Nelson! He had a great home life, nooooo, a perfect home life! (back to normal reader voice) Folks, you can’t believe everything that you see and hear. We all know this now in this too jaded of a Kanyeworld. He had problems, I have problems, you have problems. Unfortunately we foist our hopes and dreams upon these media giants that walk among us. He was flesh and blood. Cut him some slack. It is a drag that when his name comes up in conversation that inevitably it will be mentioned about his substance abuse and the way it all went down. I hated writing that sentence but it is an integral part of his story. Let it go, let him rest. We owe him and his family at least that much. He did die tragically. May he rest in peace and may his family keep just the great memories of his legacy and life. He truly left us with plenty of great times and songs.

The painting is just a whirligig of pop art style. I did this one in oil and in black and white but made his lips and eyes in full Technicolor. These are his most striking features. When he sang, he always blinked his eyes for a bit too long and you always wondered if he was ever going to open them again. He also had nice full lips that most women would die for. I also used the red, white and blue and stars background, for he is strictly an American creation. There are also seems to be a lost/glazed look in his eyes, a sadness if you will, of being part of something bigger that one has no control over or doesn’t want to be a part of any longer. From Bebop Baby to Garden Party, Rick(y) Nelson had the hits..RIP…Until next week folks, take a closer look at art, music and the ones that you love..Respects and peace, TBH.