The_Kitchen_Guy
Silver Member
- 12,458
I wrote this a little while ago and posted it in the daily update, a thread that I think most of you don't see. It seems to be a subject of great interest to all fans of popular music, so I thought I'd post a version of it here.
In the early hours of February 3, 1959, after finishing a concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Richie Valens (short for Valenzuela) climbed aboard a Beechcraft Bonanza, bound for Fargo, North Dakota. The plane did not get more than six miles from Clear Lake when it crashed into a corn field, killing all three musicians and Don Peterson, the pilot of the aircraft.
Buddy Holly (1936-1959)
The ill-fated trip that resulted in the Day the Music died was all problems from the beginning.
First of all, Buddy Holly had terminated his association with The Crickets, as well as with Norman Petty, his manager, during a reunion in Lubbock, Texas the previous November.
This tour was supposed to be called "The Winter Dance Party" tour, so Holly assembled a band consisting of Waylon Jennings (bass), Tommy Allsup (guitar), and Carl Bunch (drums). The tour was booked into 24 different citiy venues in 24 days, an ambitious scheduled even if the weather is good. Ritchie Valens, who was a new hit on the pop charts, J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Dion DiMucci (of Dion and the Belmonts) joined the tour to promote their recordings.
The tour began in Milwaukee on January 23, 1959. The logistics of travel during the tour was not well planned. The distance between venues, difficult to travel in 1959 during good weather, had not been considered when scheduling the tour.
On top of it all, the bus was not equipped for the weather and the heater failed shortly after the tour started. Flu ran through the group, almost everyone subbed on the drums during the first concerts.
Holly's widow, María Elena, learned of his death from first reports on television. A widow after six months of marriage and newly pregnant, miscarried the next day, presumably from the stress. From that time forward, authorities contact first of kin before releasing details to the news media. Maria Elena did not attend the funeral and has never visited Holly's grave, blaming herself for his death. It was the first time she had not traveled with him, and says that had she been on the tour, Holly would never have gotten into the airplane.
Waylon Jennings gave up his seat on the flight to Richardson, a decision that haunted him the rest of his life.
Buddy Holly is buried in Lubbock, Texas, his headstone bears the correct spelling of his name, Holley, and features the outline of his signature Fender Stratocaster. Buddy Holley at Find-A-Grave.
Ken Paquette, a contemporary fan and resident of Green Bay, Wisconsin, built a memorial to the Day the Music Died, near the crash site. The memorial is for the three musicians and later, Paquette placed another memorial to Don Peterson, the pilot who also perished in the crash. The entry to the roadway that leads to the crash site features a large set of horn-rimmed glasses, Holly's trademark eyewear.
The song, Three Stars was written by and recorded by Tommy Dee with Carol Kay in April, 1959 and sold over 1 million copies. Eddie Cochran recorded a cover of the song in 1959 and died in a car crash shortly thereafter, his version was not released until 1972.
In 1971, Don McLean released American Pie that also commemorates the day. Popular culture has forgotten the correct title of the song and refers to it as "The Day the Music Died."
Since 1979, a memorial concert has been held in Clear Lake, Iowa on February 2 at the Surf Ballroom to commemorate Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson and Richie Valens final concert.
In the early hours of February 3, 1959, after finishing a concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Richie Valens (short for Valenzuela) climbed aboard a Beechcraft Bonanza, bound for Fargo, North Dakota. The plane did not get more than six miles from Clear Lake when it crashed into a corn field, killing all three musicians and Don Peterson, the pilot of the aircraft.
Buddy Holly (1936-1959)
The ill-fated trip that resulted in the Day the Music died was all problems from the beginning.
First of all, Buddy Holly had terminated his association with The Crickets, as well as with Norman Petty, his manager, during a reunion in Lubbock, Texas the previous November.
This tour was supposed to be called "The Winter Dance Party" tour, so Holly assembled a band consisting of Waylon Jennings (bass), Tommy Allsup (guitar), and Carl Bunch (drums). The tour was booked into 24 different citiy venues in 24 days, an ambitious scheduled even if the weather is good. Ritchie Valens, who was a new hit on the pop charts, J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Dion DiMucci (of Dion and the Belmonts) joined the tour to promote their recordings.
The tour began in Milwaukee on January 23, 1959. The logistics of travel during the tour was not well planned. The distance between venues, difficult to travel in 1959 during good weather, had not been considered when scheduling the tour.
On top of it all, the bus was not equipped for the weather and the heater failed shortly after the tour started. Flu ran through the group, almost everyone subbed on the drums during the first concerts.
Holly's widow, María Elena, learned of his death from first reports on television. A widow after six months of marriage and newly pregnant, miscarried the next day, presumably from the stress. From that time forward, authorities contact first of kin before releasing details to the news media. Maria Elena did not attend the funeral and has never visited Holly's grave, blaming herself for his death. It was the first time she had not traveled with him, and says that had she been on the tour, Holly would never have gotten into the airplane.
Waylon Jennings gave up his seat on the flight to Richardson, a decision that haunted him the rest of his life.
Buddy Holly is buried in Lubbock, Texas, his headstone bears the correct spelling of his name, Holley, and features the outline of his signature Fender Stratocaster. Buddy Holley at Find-A-Grave.
Ken Paquette, a contemporary fan and resident of Green Bay, Wisconsin, built a memorial to the Day the Music Died, near the crash site. The memorial is for the three musicians and later, Paquette placed another memorial to Don Peterson, the pilot who also perished in the crash. The entry to the roadway that leads to the crash site features a large set of horn-rimmed glasses, Holly's trademark eyewear.
The song, Three Stars was written by and recorded by Tommy Dee with Carol Kay in April, 1959 and sold over 1 million copies. Eddie Cochran recorded a cover of the song in 1959 and died in a car crash shortly thereafter, his version was not released until 1972.
In 1971, Don McLean released American Pie that also commemorates the day. Popular culture has forgotten the correct title of the song and refers to it as "The Day the Music Died."
Since 1979, a memorial concert has been held in Clear Lake, Iowa on February 2 at the Surf Ballroom to commemorate Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson and Richie Valens final concert.
