This day in music history.

December 31, 1985, En route from Alabama to a New Year's Eve show in Dallas, Rick Nelson's DC-3 crash-landed in a field near DeKalb, Texas, Rick was 45 years old at the time. The burning plane trapped its passengers inside, killing all aboard, except the pilot and co-pilot, who escaped through the cockpit window. Early press reports suggested that drug usage (crack smoking) aboard the plane might have played a role in the fire that killed Rick, his band, and Helen Blair. In fact, both the F.A.A. and the National Transportation and Safety Board report determined conclusively that the fire had begun in a malfunctioning gas heater. Between 1958 and 1972 Rick had a handful of top ten hits including "Poor Little Fool", "Lonesome Town", "Travelin' Man", "Hello Mary Lou", "Young World" and "Garden Party".
How Long by Rick Nelson
Time and time I've tried to speak
But no one seems to listen
And life's too short to carry on
So I guess I'll just sit here and listen
How long
Time goes so slowly when you want to go
And you can't find a reason to leave
I think you know what it's doing to me
And that's fine, if that's what you wanna see
How long before the train goes by
It never seems to get here
How long before the train goes by
Will I just sit here forever