History Rock & Roll Radio History: THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED, Feb. 3, 1959...

Here's a pic of the spot they crashed that I found online. I took the one of Ritchie Valens' tombstone at the San Fernando Valley cemetery a few years back. RIP.

 

I was -7 at the time of the crash, but I've been a huge Buddy Holly fan from the time I started listening to music. I wrote a huge reasearch paper on him when I was a senior in high school. His talent was amazing and his list of "musical firsts" is quite impressive. Rest in peace Buddy.

 

We had a snow day and two of my friends and I were listening to the radio when they told about the plane crash. Ironicly I just put Buddy`s lp on cd 2 days ago not realizing how near the anniversary was. I sometimes wonder how his wife and child are doing .

 

THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO'S CONTRIBUTED TO THE THREAD !

Yes, Buddy & Richie WERE car guys like the rest of us...I still Cruise to their tunes and you do too...just as we do to the music of all of those who contributed to the Rock & Roll Radio History that still touches us.

SO, yes, this is all still very important info for Cruisers World Wide. Rod, Kustom, or, Stocker...R&R Crusin' in the cars we love and listening to the tunes we want is a part of our DNA !

And, ironpile, thanks for your words too, a lot of us tend to forget these pieces of History as the years go by, and I sincerely try to share what I have with all of you for that reason. I try to preserve the Audio Histories of these Legends so that future generations will be able to learn from them...and understand how the past helps shape the future.

Again, here's the link to the news bulletin from that day, and the sounds, stories & pix that I've put on that Special Tribute Page if you've not been there yet: http://www.legends.thewwbc.net/gpage149.html

RIP: Buddy, Richie, and, J.P.

Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net

 

I am only 19, but I love Richie and Buddy's music. I still play it when I am crusing.
I already listed to American Pie today as well.
It must of been a sad day to be there.

 

I always take a moment to remember the "day the music died," but also the day my sister was born. Granted my sister was born many years later, but still the same day. It was a tragic day, but at least their music lives on, and no one can take that away from them.

 

I watched the "Behind the music" for that fateful night. They interviewed Waylon. When asked about losing his seat to J.P., he replied
"not a day goes by that I don't think about him, and how it should have been me in that old field that night." Then he commented on his wise crack about Buddy's plane crashing. "and I've gotta live with that...." Even with the oversized dark shades and trade mark low brim cowboy hat on, you could still see that tough son of a bitch start to tear up.

 

There is a theatrical group that does a recreation of that night at the Surf Ballroom at the Granbury Opera House, Granbury TX. Looks like the date this year is Aug. 18-28.

 

Great thread, Jonnie! Thanks.

 

Buddy's widow is alive and well, but had a miscarriage shortly after the accident.

 

I was 12 years old, it's also my birthday, Feb. 03. I was in school and they made the announcment over the PA system. Music has never been the same.
Lance

 

Damn shame how the big wigs treated these guys!

 

John Milner was right when he said rock n rolls been goin down hill ever since Buddy Holly died.

 

Thanks for the videos, Jake.

Come on, people! Buddy is truly one-of-a-kind special . . .
And Waylon is my all-time musical hero . . .

but better if no British invasion?
Music has gone downhill since?
Never been the same?

Please.

 

That ain't the half of it. They were touring in old shot school buses that kept breaking down. This was when we still had real winters and there was virtually no heat in the buses. And look at this schedule:
JANUARY 23 - Milwaukee, WI - George Devine's Ballroom
JANUARY 24 - Kenosha, WI - Eagles Ballroom
JANUARY 25 - Mankato, MN - Kato Ballroom
JANUARY 26 - Eau Claire, WI - Fournier's Ballroom
JANUARY 27 - Montevideo, MN - Fiesta Ballroom
JANUARY 28 - St. Paul, MN - Promenade Ballroom
JANUARY 29 - Davenport, Iowa - Capitol Theater
JANUARY 30 - Fort Dodge, IA - Laramar Ballroom
JANUARY 31 - Duluth, MN - Duluth Armory
FEBRUARY 1 - Green Bay, WI - Riverside Ballroom
FEBRUARY 2 - Clear Lake, IA - Surf Ballroom

FEBRUARY 3 - Moorhead, MN - The Armory
FEBRUARY 4 - Sioux City, IA
FEBRUARY 5 - Des Moines, IA - Val Air Ballroom
FEBRUARY 6 - Cedar Rapids, IA - Danceland Ballroom
FEBRUARY 7 - Spring Valley, IL - Les Buzz Ballroom
FEBRUARY 8 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
FEBRUARY 9 - Waterloo, IA - Hippodrome Auditorium
FEBRUARY 10 - Dubuque, IA - Melody Hill
FEBRUARY 11 - Louisville, KY - Memorial Auditorium
FEBRUARY 12 - Canton, Ohio - Memorial Auditorium
FEBRUARY 13 - Youngstown, Ohio - Stanbaugh Auditorium
FEBRUARY 14 - Peoria, IL - The Armory
FEBRUARY 15 - Springfield, IL - Illinois State Armory

Map it out. This schedule in the middle of a killer winter before interstates in crappy old buses is murder.

I have a personal perspective on this. Long ago I played in various bands that covered some of the same turf (even some of the same ballrooms) and winter sucked. We used a Blazer as a chase/pull vehicle along with all the gear in a truck. When the truck got stuck, everybody got out with the shovels and out came the snatch-em-strap. Repeat over and over. And after the gig we had to load up the gear and head back out on the road long after everybody had gone home and the plows had been pulled for the night leaving us entirely on our own. Old Man Winter is a merciless b@st@rd.

 

Cool link! Their music is great. R.I.P.

 

Gone but not forgotten...

 

What a sad day in history,their music lives on thru my record player and any other way I can listen to them.Will always be remembered and always honored ........ R.I.P.

 

Dzus...

I know exactly what you're talking about ! After I got out of High School, I played drums for many years here in St. Louis with various groups.

This is a big area and this time of the year, like the ice/sleet/snow storm we had this week (and temps like they are...as I write this it's 10 degrees right now) travel to our gigs many times was hazardous, the cars we traveled in broke down occasionally, and trying to fit my entire set of Ludwig Drums into my Dad's '54 Plymouth in a snow storm that started after we finished a job could be very slippery.

Same thing in the Spring/Summer with a rainstorm pouring down on you...and trying to change a flat tire that happened while you were on the bandstand so that you could get home, get some sleep, and go to your fulltime job the next morning.

Once you've "been there" and understand the traveling/touring problems that all of those musicians/stars went through in those days, the problems, and hardships that Buddy, Richie, J.P., and their entire crew had to endure, you feel the importance of the tragedy that befell them on February 3rd, 1959 much more.

BTW: Below is a pic of the 1959 Ludwig Catalog that I used to choose my Drum Set: Oyster Blue Pearl (A few years later that Set would reach WorldWide promenence...Ringo Starr had the EXACT SAME SET ! But I had 'em first !!)

Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net

 

I was 14 when this tragedy happened, Buddy had been in Australia not long before he died. In his short time at the top he left a legacy of music second to none and inspired musicians world wide. The make up of his group, lead , rhythm and bass guitar with drums became the standard for all rock groups. My daughter is 26 and grew on a diet of Buddy and Roy Orbison, in my opinion the two best Rockers of all time, her friends have little or no knowledge of them. Both came from Texas as well. They are loved world wide. I got to see Waylon some years ago, loved him as well.

RIP Buddy, JP and Richie.

 

The music industry is so different today............There are loads of extremely talented bands, but like traditional cars the newer ones just dont have the same vibe!

 

I hear you. One time our drummer was late coming over from Fargo, and when he finally showed up his Ford looked like an iceberg. He'd slid in the ditch, this was during the thaw and besides feet of snow the ditch was full of water. He flagged a truck down and got a pull back on the road. But the car was full of water and ice. He drove punches through the floorboards and trunk to drain the water, and somehow got it running and headed over to the gig. But the interior and trunk refroze on the way over, and we had a hell of time getting the kit chipped out of the trunk, cleaned up, and ready to use. I honestly don't know how he didn't freeze to death.

PS. It was also a Lugwig Oyster set.

 

bobhoneybrook, Chaz, Dzus, JeffSled, Philbilly,lo-bu, et al ...

AMEN to all of the above !

A friend sent me this pic in case you haven't seen it before. The Surf Ballroom is still there and open. And have a Tribute to Buddy, Richie & J.P. every year from what I understand.

Once more,thank you for your thoughts & memories. Favorite Buddy Holly songs ? Mine would be "Maybe Baby", "It's Raining In My Heart", "True Love Ways", and, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"...plus a few others. Almost EVERYTHING he did was touched by "magic" .

Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net

 

Thanks for starting this thread and posting that great link. I was only 8 yrs old at the time and don't remember the accident at all. I do remember my big brother arguing with our folks about whether or not he could go with some friends and drive to Iowa over the weekend to see where the plane crashed. (We lived in Minnesota.) He couldn't explain why they wanted to go there, they just did. My parents didn't get it and of course I didn't either at the time. Needless to say I get it now.

 

I was only 4 years old at the time of this accident, but growing up with Rock & Roll, and having an interest in old cars, you couldn't help but know the history behind that night. I don't know if I agree with Milner, but one thing for sure ... Rock & Roll wasn't the same without these men.

On another note - my Dad always said, "Rock & Roll is just a fad." Dad's gone now, so it's no longer possible to debate this, and the merits of His beloved Dixeland Jazz.......so with apologies Dad........YA RIGHT!

 

WOW , I have never seen the place before,thanks for the picture.My favorite Buddy Holly songs are ........ Blue days Black nights and Midnight shift.Of coarse they sound best on vinyl. Thanks for the pic.

 

Thom, Tripple G, JeffSled...

The thing is that Rock & Roll was only a few years old at the time and some adults just couldn't quite grasp what was going on.

They were used to Perry Como, Vaughan Monroe, Rosie Clooney, Patti Page, The Four Aces, et al. And Buddy Holly, Elvis, Rick Nelson, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins...and all of the "new wave" of singers that were coming along jolted them pretty hard.

We had just been out of WWII for about a decade when R&R started, so the "mind set" of the older crowd was having a hard time thinking that this new "fad" was going to last much longer than a couple of years.

But when all of us then-teenagers started buying more and more records, buying our cars (and turning 'em into Rods & Kustoms), cruisin' in and out of the drive-in's, and, listening to that "new fangled" music as we cruised (AND on our NEW TRANSISTOR RADIOS at home or wherever we wanted...Hey ! They were PORTABLE !), we kept the music & those artists alive and kicking year after year...until the "fad" became a way of life.

Cars & Music; Music & Cars: Always working together !

Jonnie www.legends.thewwbc.net

PS: Below is a pic of my first Cruiser: '58 T-Bird HdTp. (I worked really hard to buy that car in August of 1960.) And, believe me, the music of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper, rang out loud and clear in that car with the windows rolled down cruisin' through the Drive-In's and streets of St. Louis !

 

Rock and roll's been going downhill ever since Buddy Holley died....

 

I was lucky to see Rick Nelson, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Chris Christofferson, Willie Nelson, Fats Domino, Del Shannon and a number of others I cant recall. I was not lucky enough to see Buddy but regard him as the best Rock & Roller of all time. His infulence in the short time he was at the top spread the R & R message world wide. His tours of England and Australia left a great impression on many future R & R stars and many have acknowledged his influence on them. I love all his songs my favourites are Rave On, It Doesnt Matter Any More, That 'ill Be The Day and True Love Ways.