50 years ago: The day that "music died"

In 1972, Don McClean introduced our generation to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in "American Pie":

"A long, long time ago...I can still remember

How that music used to make me smile.

And I knew if I had my chance

That I could make those people dance

And, maybe, they'd be happy for a while.

But february made me shiver

With every paper I'd deliver.

Bad news on the doorstep;

I couldn't take one more step.

I can't remember if I cried

When I read about his widowed bride,

But something touched me deep inside

The day the music died."

The "day the music died" was Fifty years ago, a big triple loss for pop music. This is how the BBC reported the event on February 3, 1959:

"Three young rock 'n' roll stars have been killed in a plane crash in the United States.

Buddy Holly, 22, Jiles P Richardson - known as the Big Bopper - 28, and Ritchie Valens, 17, died in a crash shortly after take-off from Clear Lake, Iowa at 0100 local time.

The pilot of the single-engined Beechcraft Bonanza plane was also killed.

Early reports from the scene suggest the aircraft spun out of control during a light snowstorm.

Only the pilot's body was found inside the wreckage as the performers were thrown clear on impact.

Holly hired the plane after heating problems developed on his tourbus.

All three were travelling to Moorhead, Minnesota, the next venue in their Winter Dance Party Tour."

McClean's tune got me very interested in Buddy Holly, a native of West Texas.

I bought his records. I visited his grave during a business trip to West Texas about 20 years ago. I have followed the creation of The Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock, TX.

I wrote a post last year: Remembering Buddy Holly!

I learned that Paul McCartney was also a huge fan of Buddy Holly. He toured England in 1958!

The Beatles recorded Holly's "Words of Love" in one of their early LPs. The Rolling Stones recorded "Not fade away", another of Holly's songs.

Buddy Holly was only 22 but ".....In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Holly #13 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time."

You can hear Buddy Holly's influence in every rock song recorded in the last 50 years. You can specially hear it in garage bands or every 15-year old who has played a rock guitar.

Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper were killed in the same plane crash. They were not as popular as Holly but Valens had incredible potential since he was only 17!

Buddy Holly was all energy on stage. He was a rocker's rocker!

He was also a great songwriter who had his share of ballads like "True Love Ways":

In 1985, Paul McCartney performed "Words of Love" at a special Buddy Holly celebration:

Ritchie Valens' name was brought back by "La Bamba" a very popular movie from the late 1980s. Ritchie was a Mexican American young man raised in LA. He recorded "Donna", "La Bamba", "Come on Let's go" and "We belong together".

The Big Bopper had one big hit, "Chantilly Lace".