TIGERX.CO Memorials: Fond Farewell Buddy Holly

Fond Farewell

Buddy Holly

September 7, 1938 - - - February 3, 1959

Buddy Holly was a rock pioneer. He wrote his own material, used the recording studio for double tracking and other advanced techniques, and popularized the two guitars a bass and drums lineup. Holly learned to play the piano, fiddle and guitar at early age. He was five when he won five dollars for singing " Down the River of Memories" at a local talent show. In the early fifties he formed a country oriented band with high school friends. Between '53 and '55 they performed on a local radio station and recorded demos.
The reputation on the Southwestern circuit led to contract to record in Nashville for Decca. Holly released a few singles that went unnoticed. His last recording with Decca was "That'll Be the Way" but the label refused to release it. After the failed Decca sessions Holly returned to his hometown of Lubbock, Texas and played at the local Youth Center. On night they opened for Elvis Presley, which influenced Holly to play a more rock oriented style. In 1957 Holly and his new band the Crickets went to producer Norman Petty's studio to record a demo. The resulting song was a more rock oriented version of Holly's "That'll Be the Day". The song rose to #3 and attracted a record contract from the Coral/Brunswick Label of New York. The song's success also prompts a national tour. Over the next year Holly spurred such hits as "Peggy Sue", "Oh Boy!", "Early in the Mourning" and "Rave On".
In October of 1958 Holly left the Crickets, moved to Greenwich Village and married Puerto Rico born Maria Santiago. His split from the Crickets led to legal problems which tied up his finances. This prompted Holly to reluctantly join the Winter Dance Party Tour of the midwest in early 1959. Tired of riding the bus Holly and other featured artists on the tour, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens, chartered a private plane after their Clear Lake, Iowa show. The plane took off at 2 a.m. on February 3, 1959 and crashed a few minutes later killing all on board.

TIGERX HOME || People Index || Celebrity Obituaries || Best of the Web || Advertise || EMail