This Sunday is the 49th anniversary of the day the music died. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P.Richarson AKA the Big Bopper, and Roger Peterson, the pilot, were all killed around 1:00AM when Peterson's Beech-Craft Bonanza crashed in a snowstorm almost immediately after takeoff from a Mason City, Iowa, airport. They had just finished a performance at the Surf Ballroom on Clear Lake, Iowa.
On Saturday night, February 2nd, I'll be having my annual mini tribute to them on my turntable at home since that was the night of their last performance. Lots of music by all three as well as by Dion and the Belmonts who also played with them on the tour. You're all invited to the party to celebrate with the music they left behind!
"Bye, bye, Miss American Pie..."
Last edited by tmac396 on Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Toolin' down the highway doing 79,
I'm a twin-pipe papa and I'm feeling fine...
Even though he wasn't a famous musician, he died in the crash, too. Nice to see that he's not totally forgotten. I wonder if he left a family.
Was Dion still with the Belmonts then? When did he go solo?
It's funny how many people think that Buddy Holly's death was the reason The Crickets broke up. But he had left them earlier, and they continued recording (with somewhat less success) without him, at least into the mid-60s. Remember "I Fought the Law" by The Bobby Fuller Four (also covered by The Clash, Bryan Adams, Green Day)? It was first recorded by The Crickets, with songwriter Sonny Curtis doing lead vocals.
Lord, you have filled my cup so full,
How can I fear tomorrow?
No one ever remembers the pilot. He was only 22 himself and yes, sadly, he left behind a pretty young wife. They had only been married about 6 months.
Yes, Dion and the Belmonts were still together at this time. Dion didn't go solo until late 1960. And you are so right about the fact that Buddy had already left the Crickets by this time. He gave them the "Crickets" name and wished them well. It just wasn't quite the same for them, though. I actually have the Crickets' version of "I Fought the Law" and is just lacks the power of Bobby Fuller's version. Hey...did you know that Sonny Curtis also wrote "Love is All Around" also? It's better known as the theme song for the "Mary Tyler Moore Show."
Toolin' down the highway doing 79,
I'm a twin-pipe papa and I'm feeling fine...
It is a very sad day for us music lovers indeed. The world lost some extremely talented musicians. I also have several Crickets recordings by themselves. Most are on the Coral label if I remember rightly.
February 3rd is also a celebration for me though as it is my father's birthday and so we will be wishing him many happy returns of the day on Sunday.
I'm not going to let my history pull me down and hold me back, you see.