Decades before MTV (Music Television), the synergy between television and the music industry was manifested by the career of Ricky Nelson. The first rock 'n' roll star created by television, Nelson was the youngest and most precocious member of the Nelsons, on the long-running The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. For 14 years, "Ricky" virtually grew up in front of America. To viewers coast-to-coast, he was a surrogate son, brother, and friend. When he began to sing, he became a fantasy boyfriend and one of the leading teenage idols of the 1950s and early 1960s. But if being a member of "America's favorite family" had made possible his music career, it also became a burden—as did the teen idol designation. As a result, Nelson's artistry and status as a musical innovator has long been overlooked.

Ricky Nelson

In fact, he was startlingly versatile, equally...