The day the music died

Today, 55 years ago, was the day of the fatal plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. The plane crash took the life of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, the pilot Roger Peterson and The Big Bopper. Buddy Holly set the template for the standard rock and roll band: two guitars, bass, and drums. He was one of the first in the genre to write, produce, and perform his own songs.

Buddy holly

Holly  just assembled a band consisting of Waylon Jennings (bass), Tommy Allsup (guitar), and Carl Bunch (drums). He was offered a spot in the Winter Dance Party, a three-week tour across the Midwest opening on January 23, 1959 with other well known artist like Dion and the Belmonts. Richie Valens and The Big Bopper. On the 3rd of February, after having performed at the  Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Buddy Holly chartered a small airplane to take him to the next stop on the tour.

 

Richie Valens

Although his recording career lasted just eight months, Richie Valens has been a big influence to todays rock, combining song with rock-beat. In early 1958 he hit the charts with ‘La Bamba’, his version of a Mexican folk song.

Ritchie Valens, who had once had a fear of flying, asked gitarist Tommy Allsup  for his seat on the plane. Allsup and Valens decided to toss a coin to decide.

This day of the airplane crash has been refered to as ‘The day the music died’. Don McLean also used this phrase in the lyrics of his hit-song ‘American Pie’.