Nelson (duo)
Twin brothers who rode a wave of hair-metal power ballads to a number-one album, carrying on their family's rock and roll legacy.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American rock band·Birthday: September 20·Generation X
Biography
Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, the identical twin sons of rock and roll pioneer Ricky Nelson, emerged in the final glow of the 1980s glam metal era with a polished, radio-ready sound. Trading on their striking looks and harmonious vocals, they built a massive following with their 1990 debut 'After the Rain.' The album was a commercial smash, propelled by the chart-topping power ballad '(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection,' and briefly made them teen idols. However, the seismic shift in music toward grunge shortly after their arrival made them symbols of a fading era. Undeterred, the brothers have maintained a dedicated fanbase for decades, continuously touring and recording, and have crafted a unique show celebrating their father's music alongside their own. Their story is one of pop-metal triumph, familial legacy, and enduring adaptability in a fickle industry.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Nelson was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nelson Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Nelson's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Their debut album 'After the Rain' reached number one on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and went multi-platinum.
- The single '(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection' reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990.
- Have sustained a performing career for over three decades, consistently touring internationally.
- Created the 'Ricky Nelson Remembered' concert show, honoring the musical legacy of their father.
Did You Know?
They are the sons of 1950s teen idol Ricky Nelson and granddaughter of the iconic Ozzie and Harriet television family.
Both brothers are accomplished multi-instrumentalists, playing guitar, bass, and drums.
They were the first unsigned band to sell out the Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles, which led to their record deal.
Gunnar Nelson later became a certified life coach and motivational speaker.
“We grew up in a house where the living room was a rehearsal space.”
