Buddy Holly - Singer - Biography.com Buddy Holly Buddy Holly was a singer/songwriter whose records, conveying a sense of the wide-open spaces of West Texas and unstoppable joie de vivre, remain vital today. IN THESE GROUPS Buddy Holly - Rock and Roll Legend (; 3:18) Buddy Holly was a pioneer in the world of rock and roll and had changed the face of music at the time until his tragic death in 1959. Synopsis Born on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas, Buddy Holly was an American singer/songwriter who produced some of the most distinctive and influential work in rock music. Already well versed in several music styles, he was a seasoned performer by age 16. With hits such as 'Peggy Sue' and 'That'll Be the Day,' Buddy Holly was a rising star when a tragic plane crash struck him down in 1959 at age 22. Early Life Singer. Born Charles Hardin Holley on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas.

As the fourth and youngest child in his family, Holly was nicknamed "Buddy" by his mother, who felt that his given name was too big for her little boy. "Holly," the altered form of his last name, would later result from a misspelling in his first recording contract. Buddy Holly learned to play piano and fiddle at an early age, while his older brothers taught him the basics of guitar. A 1949 home recording of "My Two-Timin' Woman" showcases Holly's skilled, if prepubescent, singing voice. Holly's mother and father, a tailor by trade, both proved to be very supportive of their son's burgeoning musical talents, generating song ideas and even penning a letter to the editor of Lubbock's newspaper in defense of rock 'n' roll-loving teenagers lambasted in a conservative editorial. Despite his parents' support, Holly couldn't have become a founding father of rock 'n' roll without engaging in some degree of rebellion.

Once a preacher at the local Tabernacle Baptist Church asked him, "What would you do if you had $10?" The young rocker reportedly muttered, "If I had $10, I wouldn't be here." Holly had clearly set his sights on something other than growing up to join his brothers in their tiling business. After high school, Holly formed a band and played country and western songs regularly on a Lubbock radio station. He frequently opened for more prominent national acts that toured through town. Bandmate Sonny Curtis viewed Holly's opening for Elvis Presley in 1955 as a crucial turning point for the singer. "When Elvis came along," Curtis recalls, "Buddy fell in love with Elvis and we began to change. The next day we became Elvis clones." Although the bespectacled, bow-tied youth lacked Elvis's incendiary sex appeal, Holly's conversion from country to rock 'n' roll did not go unnoticed. A record company talent scout soon caught his act at a skating rink and signed him to a contract.

In early 1956, Holly and his band began recording demos and singles in Nashville under the name Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes, but the group's lineup was later revised and dubbed The Crickets. Holly wrote and recorded his breakthrough hit, "That'll Be the Day," with The Crickets in 1957. The song's title and refrain are a reference to a line uttered by John Wayne in the 1956 film The Searchers. Between August 1957 and August 1958, Holly and the Crickets charted seven different Top 40 singles. Coincidentally, "That'll Be the Day" topped the U.S. chart exactly 500 days before Holly's untimely death. Solo Career and Untimely Death In October 1958, Holly split from The Crickets and moved to Greenwich Village in New York City. Due to legal and financial problems resulting from the band's breakup, Holly reluctantly agreed to tour through the Midwest in 1959 with The Winter Dance Party.

Tired of enduring broken-down buses in subfreezing conditions, Holly chartered a private plane to take him from a show in Clear Lake, Iowa, to the tour's next stop in Moorhead, Minnesota. Holly was joined on the doomed flight by fellow performers Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. The plane crashed within minutes of leaving the ground, killing all aboard. Buddy Holly was just 22 years old. His funeral was held at the Tabernacle Baptist Church back in Lubbock. Buddy Holly proposed on his first date with Maria Elena Santiago, a receptionist four years his senior, and married her less than two months later in 1958. Maria Elena did not attend Holly's funeral, as she had also just suffered a miscarriage. She still owns the rights to Buddy Holly's name, image, trademarks and other intellectual property. Holly's death was memorialized in Don McLean's iconic song "American Pie" as "the day the music died." Holly's music never really died, though, despite the singer's tragic and untimely death. Unissued recordings and compilations of Holly's work were released in a steady stream throughout the 1960s.

Due to the continued popularity of his music and film adaptations of his life's story, Holly's hiccup and horn-rimmed glasses are easily recognizable today. Though his professional career spanned just two short years, Holly's recorded material has influenced the likes of Elvis Costello and Bob Dylan, who, at age 17, saw Holly perform on his final tour. The Rolling Stones had their first Top 10 single in 1964 with a cover of Holly's "Not Fade Away." The Beatles chose their name as a kind of homage to The Crickets, and Paul McCartney has since purchased Holly's publishing rights. Buddy Holly's lasting impact on pop music was even larger. The Crickets pioneered the now-standard rock lineup of two guitars, bass, and drums. Holly was also among the first artists to use studio techniques such as double-tracking on his albums. Despite Holly's numerous contributions to rock 'n' roll, a 1957 interview with Canadian disc jockey Red Robinson suggests that the singer questioned the longevity of the genre. When asked whether rock 'n' roll music would still be around after six or seven months, Holly replied, "I rather doubt it." Related Videos Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness.

If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information The Crickets This is a limited time offer, available only on our website and expires December 31th. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Adds The Crickets to the Class of 2012! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will make up for past oversights at this year's induction ceremony by admitting the backing groups of six first-generation rock stars. The honored groups include the Blue Caps (Gene Vincent), The Comets (Bill Haley), the Crickets (Buddy Holly), the Famous Flames (James Brown), the Midnighters (Hank Ballard) and the Miracles (Smokey Robinson). Click here to read more When the band that helped invent Rock n' Roll went back to the studio to record the album of a lifetime, 13 legendary buddies joined in the musical celebration.

Sovereign Artists proudly presents "THE CRICKETS & THEIR BUDDIES", produced by Grammyï¿½-award-winning Greg Ladanyi and featuring guest performances by Peter Case, Eric Clapton, Rodney Crowell, Phil Everly, Nanci Griffith, Waylon Jennings, Tonio K., Albert Lee, Graham Nash, Vince Neil, John Prine, Johnny Rivers, J.D. Souther, and Bobby Vee. While some people may have reservations about a few of these songs being recorded yet again, the blending of The Crickets with these awesome guest performances, as well as some newly constructed arrangements, have given the material a new lease on life, resulting in a most refreshing package. "THE CRICKETS & THEIR BUDDIES" should certainly bring The Crickets and their music to everybody's attention once again!

Click on the song titles below to listen to these great performances: Buddy Holly Buddy Holly and the Crickets (l to r Jerry Allison, Joe Maudlin, and Buddy Holly) One of the two great singer-songwriter guitarists of the'50s ( the other being Chuck Berry), Buddy Holly was probably the first rock and roll artist to concern himself with virtually every aspect of his music including arranging and record production. Lawrence and Ella Holley Buddy at 2 1/2 with father Buddy at four Buddy at six Charles Hardin (Buddy) Holly was born September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas the fourth of four children born to Lawrence and Ella Holly. In Texas most everyone had a nickname, and the family always called him "Buddy." The Holly's had a rich musical tradition. Older brothers, Larry and Travis, taught themselves how to play the guitar. Their sister Pat sang duets with her mother in the evening at the living room piano. Every Sunday found the Hollys attending services at the Baptist Church, singing hymns of praise and joy to God. Lubbock, Texas circa 1958 Lubbock "The City of Churches," was conservative and segregated.

In his youth, Holly had little direct contact with blacks or their music, but like so many other young musicians, he was attracted to the rhythm and blues heard on distant radio stations. At age eleven Buddy began taking piano lessons, but soon switched to the steel guitar After 20 lessons he switched to acoustic guitar. Although his formal music education was short, Buddy was familiar with many kinds of music. Thoroughly imbued with the blues and country sounds he heard on the radio at a early age, Buddy won five dollars at age five singing "Down the River of Memories" at age five. Hutchinson Junior High In 1951 Buddy met Bob Montgomery, a fellow seventh-grader at Hutchinson Jr. High, who also played guitar and sang country songs. Montgomery's taste in music ran to country music, especially Hank Williams, and Montgomery would be a major influence over Buddy's choice of music. Buddy and Bob circa 1954 From left to right - Buddy Holly, Larry Welborn and Bob Montgomery Billing themselves as "Buddy and Bob," they played junior high assemblies and local radio shows. Their sets were basically country, beefed up by harmonies and their own guitar accompaniment.

Buddy and Bob became Lubbock's leading performers. They soon added Larry Welborn to play bass. In the early fifties with high school friends he played in a country oriented Western and Bop Band. Between 1950 and 1952, they performed at local clubs and high school talent shows, sometimes adding a bass and, less frequently, drums. Harmony duets still predominated their style, with Bob usually singing lead. When Buddy occasionally would sing lead, you'd hear a more upbeat tempo, a less country sound and another forecast of things to come. Tom Lubbock High School Tom Lubbock High School 1955 Holly - Third row, Third from left By the time Buddy and Bob entered high school, they were widening their audience by appearing at youth clubs and centers as far away as Carlsbad, New Mexico and Amarillo, Texas. Lubbock's "Cotton Club" and "Bambaloo Club," the Union Hall in Carlsbad and Amarillo's "Clover Club" all featured "Buddy and Bob" performing music they now dubbed as "Western and Bop." Local radio stations also gave impetus to Buddy and Bob's career.

KDAV, the nation's first all-country radio station, held a weekly "Sunday Party," patterned after the highly successful "National Dance Barn" show on Chicago's WLS. Buddy and Bob were frequent guests. In fact, their popularity grew so much they were given their own half-hour program each Sunday. Their repertoire remained basically country with Bob Montgomery still singing lead. But as 1954 progressed, Buddy began to sing more blues and "bop" numbers on the show. Although Montgomery was the principal composer during their partnership, Buddy also began to write. Two of these three songs were "Heartbeat" and "Love's Made a Fool of You," both recorded several years later. But it wasn't a keen-eared record company that brought Buddy his first real break. It was that good old local radio station, KDAV. In addition to airing the "Sunday Party," KDAV also sponsored live country and early rock 'n' roll concerts in Lubbock. The station often chose the "western and bop" duo to open the shows, which headlined stars like Ferlin Husky, Marty Robbins, Porter Wagoner...even Elvis. And Buddy met them all.

One of these performances played a crucial role in the advancement of Buddy's career. photo courtesy Buddy Holly Memorabilia That October the group added Jerry Allison on the drums. October 14, 1955, Bill Haley and the Comets starred in a show at the Fair Park Auditorium with Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Snow and "Lubbock's own Buddy, Bob, and Larry." Eddie" Crandall, Marty Robbins' manager, booked the show. The show's promoter Eddie Crandall was impressed by Buddy's performance and told Holly he would attempt to get them a recording contract. In January of 1956, Buddy was offered a contract from Decca Records. The only hitch was that they were interested in just Buddy. Montgomery insisted that Buddy go it alone, Welborn stayed in Lubbock to finish high school. Holly returned to Lubbock where he played locally with stars that came through the area. On June 3, 1955 Buddy and Bob opened for a young Elvis at Connelly's Pontiac Showroom, in a free show to attract customers. After that gone was the country music, replaced by pure rock and roll.

Rehearsing in Lubbock, 1955 He signed a contract to record country music on the Decca label in 1956. The first session was in Nashville on January 26, 1956 and held at Owen Bradley's recording studio. Don Guess, another Lubbock boy, played bass and with Sonny Curtis on lead guitar. Drummer Allison, still in high school, sat in for only one session. Holly recorded a number of records that went nowhere. Among them was "That'll Be the Day" that in rock version would be a hit. At this time Holly began writing. One of the songs "Cindy Lou" which was to be one of his biggest hits. It would later be renamed "Peggy Sue" at the suggestion of band member Jerry Allison. Peggy Sue Gueron was Allison's girlfriend future wife. Peggy Sue Gueron's high school yearbook picture Buddy wasn't allowed to play the guitar as Bradley thought it made the recordings to difficult. Among the four songs that were recorded was "Blue Days, Black Nights" which would be Holly's first single. On the label his name was spelled "Buddy Holly" for the first time.

Reviewed favorably in the trade press, the record did not do well in the marketplace. The disc did not succeed partially because Holly and the Decca-selected backup group could not create the tightness inherent in the union of Holly's voice, his guitar and his own group of musicians. The Crickets (Top clockwise: Buddy Holly, Niki Sullivan, Jerry Allison and Joe B. Maudlin) February 25, 1957 Holly and the newly named Crickets recorded the rock version of "That Will Be the Day" at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico. These tapes were sent to Roulette . The company liked Holly's songs but not his group. They felt they didn't need another artist like their current rock 'n' roll stars, Buddy Knox and Jimmy Bowen. They were interested in Knox recording "That'll Be The Day," and Bowen cutting "Lookin' for Someone to Love." But Buddy Holly wanted to record his own songs with his own group, now called the Crickets. (unidentified man, Jerry Lee Lewis, Phil Everly and Buddy Holly) Petty suggested sending the demos to Peer-Southern, a New York publishing house where he'd placed some of his own compositions.

Peer-Southern gave the demo to Bob Thiele at Brunswick Records, a subsidiary of Decca. Thiele liked what he heard - so much that Brunswick decided to use it as a master. Because Decca had the original "That'll Be the Day" it was determined to be unwise to use Holly's name in the credits. Grabbing a dictionary they searched for an appropriate group name and decided to release the song as the Crickets. "That'll Be The Day," recorded by The Crickets, was released in June, 1957. Initially sales were slow but, by August they were increasing and it began to appear on the national charts. A month later "That'll Be The Day" was one of the best selling records in both the rock and roll and R&B markets. The Crickets Biography In a career that has spanned nearly five decades and millions of records, The Crickets are unquestionably The American Rock and Roll band. Since the group’s founding in 1957 they have influenced virtually every major rock performer in the United States and abroad – from Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan to the Rolling Stones and the Beatles (whose name was even Crickets-inspired).

Their hits “That’ll Be The day,” Peggy Sue,” “Oh Boy,” “Not Fade Away,” “Maybe Baby,” “It’s So Easy,” “I Fought The Law“ and “More Than I Can Say” are bona fide rock classics and considered primary lessons in how rock music should be written, played and enjoyed. As Paul McCartney once put it, “If it wasn’t for the Crickets, there wouldn’t be any Beatles.” The Crickets were formed in Lubbock, Texas by Buddy Holly and J.I. Allison. Bassist Joe B. Mauldin was recruited shortly thereafter. They were one of the first rock and roll bands to be self-contained, writing, playing, producing and recording their own material. They were among the first rock bands, too, to utilize overdubbing and multi-track recording years before it became standard studio practice. Above all, they were the first rock musicians to make rock and roll truly accessible to their audience; their instrumental format of guitar, drums and bass spawned thousands of garage bands worldwide – including one formed by a very young John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

With the release of “That’ll Be The Day” in June of 1957 and their many subsequent hits, The Crickets became the leading rock and roll band in the world. In late 1958, Buddy Holly decided to move to New York and become more involved in the business side of music. Allison and Mauldin continued on with The Crickets, adding their old friend Sonny Curtis as lead guitarist and vocalist. Sonny had played guitar and fiddle in earlier groups with Buddy and J.I, so his joining was a welcome and seamless fit with the band’s unique sound and approach. The first Crickets’ album without Buddy Holly, "In Style With The Crickets", was recorded in the same Clovis, New Mexico studio as had all their hits, with additional sessions in New York and Los Angeles. Their classics “I Fought The Law” and “More Than I Can Say” were introduced on this album. With a new Crickets recording contract with West Coast-based Liberty Records, as well as a shift in focus from touring to the studio, Los Angeles became home base for the group for the next 15 years. Drummer J.I.

Allison soon became one of the industry’s top session players recording with Bobby Vee, Johnny Burnette, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Rivers, Waylon Jennings, Nanci Griffith, Paul McCartney and many others. His distinctive drumming style on such hits as “Peggy Sue” by Buddy Holly and “Till I Kissed You” by The Everly Brothers are among the most memorable drum licks ever recorded. Phil Everly has called Allison “the most creative drummer in rock and roll,” a fact reinforced by Dell/Rolling Stone’s “Book Of Lists” which ranks Allison among the top three rock and roll drummers of all times. Allison also wrote such songs as “That’ll Be The Day,” “Peggy Sue” and “More Than I Can say.” Bassist Joe. B. Mauldin, who is also ranked among the top rock bassists by the “Book of Lists,” became a recording engineer at Gold Star Studios, the legendary Los Angeles studio that became the hit factory for Phil Spector, Brian Wilson and other major 60s rock performers.

While at Gold Star, Mauldin engineered many hit recording sessions including those with Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, the Baja Marimba Band, Phil Spector, Leon Russell and Maureen McGovern. An accomplished writer as well as performer, Mauldin penned “Last Night,” “I’m Gonna Love You Too” and “Well All Right.” He has toured with The Everly Brothers, Johnny Burnette, Nanci Griffith and Waylon Jennings. Sonny Curtis, also a native Texan, played lead guitar on Buddy Holly’s first Decca sessions. His fluid guitar playing style was a major influence on Waylon Jennings. In addition to his work with the Crickets, Sonny has enjoyed enormous success as a solo recording artist and as one of Nashville’s most respected songwriters. His songs have been recorded by artists from Bing Crosby to the Bear on the Andy Williams Show.

Among his hit song credits: “Love Is All Around” (the Mary Tyler Moore Television Show Theme song which Sonny also sang on every opening segment of the show), “I Fought The Law,” “Walk Right Back” which was a big hit for the Everly Brothers, “I’m No Stranger To The Rain,” recorded by Keith Whitley, and many others – including his own Elektra Records hits “The Real Buddy Holly Story,” “Good Old Girls” and “Cowboy Singer.” In the mid 70s, the Crickets moved to the Nashville area and began a long association with Waylon Jennings whom they had known since the early Lubbock days. In addition to touring and recording with Jennings, the group made frequent international tours including dates in England (where they recorded with Paul McCartney), Spain, Germany, Sweden and Ireland. It’s an annual tradition they continue to this day. The group has also continued to record, issuing albums throughout the 80s and 90s. In April of 1995, they recorded “Not Fade Away” with Levon Helm and The Band for a critically-acclaimed musical tribute to Buddy Holly entitled “Not Fade Away” released on Decca Records.

The following year, The Crickets recorded “Too Much Monday Morning” an album of all new material and which featured guest vocalist Nanci Griffith. It was released on the British label, Carlton. That year they also toured extensively with Nanci Griffith and The Blue Moon Orchestra. Over the years, the Crickets have appeared in motion pictures and numerous documentaries, as well as top television shows including The Ed Sullivan Show, Sunday Night At The London Palladium, American Bandstand, The David Letterman Show, CNN, America’s Talking, Westwood One Radio syndicated specials, and a two-hour Nashville Network special shown worldwide. As the millennium approached, the Crickets were again in the studio with Grammyï¿½-award-winning producer Greg Ladanyi to record what may well be their most memorable album of all, “The Crickets and Their Buddies.” The album features 15 new tracks of the band’s classic hits with the Crickets joined by their “buddies” – Eric Clapton, Graham Nash, John Prine, Rodney Crowell, Albert Lee, Nanci Griffith, J.D. Souther, Johnny Rivers, Phil Everly, Vince Neil, Bobby Vee, Tonio K.

& Peter Case, and Waylon Jennings (one of his last recordings). It’s a fitting musical tribute to a band who literally defined rock and roll music, and who today, over 50 years later, still help set the standard of excellence by which it should be judged. Indeed, The Crickets’ influence will not fade away. Ever. West Texas Walk of Fame-Civic Lubbock Inc West Texas Walk of Fame Inductees "Legendary" Rock and Roll Innovator 1980 Singer/Songwriter, Toured with Buddy Holly 1983 Country singer and Television personality Ralna English-Lubbock, TX Singer, featured on the Lawrence Welk Show Bobby Keys-Slaton, TX Sax Player. Toured and recorded with The Beatles & the Rolling Stones 1985 Movie, Television and Broadway Star 1986 Niki Sullivan, Jerry Allison and Joe B.

Mauldin-Lubbock, TX The Crickets Singer/Songwriter played with The Crickets 1988 Bandleader, Fiddler, Singer, and Songwriter "King of Western Swing" 1991 1950's TV personality and record producer 1993 Virgil Johnson of The Velvets - Lubbock, TX Lead Singer of the only Black doo-wop group from West Texas Buddy Knox - Happy, TX Arranged music & performed with Elvis Presley and The Crickets 1996 Singer/Songwriter, performed with Buddy Holly The Hometown Boys-Lubbock, TX Father and sons conjuntos show band C.B.

"Stubb" Stubblefield-Lubbock, TX Artist in a wide variety of media: music, theater, sculpture, painting, drawing, video, and film Dan Blocker-O'Donnell, TX Pioneer of Country Music Education 1999 1960's Rock and Roll group Delbert McClinton-Lubbock, TX Artist, Choreographer, Teacher, Founder of Ballet Lubbock Pete Morales-Lubbock, TX Accordionist, Mentor, Musician “Amigos de Todos” 2003 Cowboy Poet, Sculptor, Western Historian Billy Walker-Ralls, TX Country Music Singer, "The Tall Texan" 2004 Singer/Songwriter, lead singer of "Lonestar" 2005 Singer, Vocalist of "The New Variety Band" Angela Strehli - Lubbock, TX Broadway/Musical Theater Singer and Dancer 2008 Singer and Musical Theater Director Mary Gillas-Lubbock, TX Charlene Condray Hancock - Lubbock, TX Singer/Pianist Tommy X Hancock - Lubbock, TX Band Leader, Singer and Fiddler Lloyd Maines - Lubbock, TX Jesse "Guitar" Taylor

 - Lubbock, TX Musician Jay Boy Adams ï¿½ Colorado City, TX Singer/Songwriter and Producer Lew Dee & Diana Dee - Lubbock, TX Radio Team Poet, Songwriter, Singer, and Playwright Jaston Williams ï¿½ Olton, TX/Crosbyton, TX Writer and Actor Jo Harvey Allen ï¿½ Lubbock, TX Actress, Playwright, Poet, and Pioneer of women in radio Natalie Maines - Lubbock, TX Buddy Holly Home · Stage/Screen · Music · Sports · Politics · Military · Literature · Crime · Business · Art · Journalism Buddy Holly Pioneering rock 'n' roll musician Charles Hardin Holley, known as Buddy Holly, was born in Lubbock, Texas on September 7, 1936.

He died in 1959 in a plane crash in Iowa. The youngest of four children of Lawrence and Ella (Drake) Holley, Buddy became one of the greatest legends of rock music. His father worked as a tailor and salesman in a Lubbock clothing store, and though Lawrence did not play an instrument, he and Buddy's mom encouraged their children's musical skills. At age five, Buddy appeared with his brothers in a talent show in the neighboring town of County Line. They won five dollars singing "Down the River of Memories." At age eleven Buddy took piano lessons, but quit after nine months. He started studying steel guitar, but eventually taught himself to play on acoustic guitar. At Hutchinson Junior High he and a friend, Bob Montgomery, formed a country music duo that later performed rock-and-roll music. In the autumn of 1953, the duo added bass player Larry Welborn and started playing weekly on Lubbock radio station KDAV. The program was called "Sunday Party." At Lubbock High, Holly studied printing and drafting. He also worked part-time at Panhandle Steel Products. He stayed focused on his dream, however, of making his living as a musician.

In 1954 and 1955 the band made some demo records in Wichita Falls, but in 1956 Decca offered only Buddy a contract. Decca tried to turn him into a country artist. Two unsuccessful singles later, the label and Buddy parted ways. Holly returned to Lubbock still determined to make it big in the music business. In February 1957 Holly, Welborn, who was later replaced by Joe B. Mauldin, Jerry Allison on drums, and Niki Sullivan on guitar went to the studio of an independent producer. Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico, is where the band adopted the name the Crickets and formed its unique style. Holly's upbeat, pop sound became the transition between the raw rockabilly of Sun Records and the sophisticated pop rock music that would follow in the decades to come. The Crickets soon signed a contract with Brunswick Records and Buddy signed a solo contract with Brunswick's Coral label. Holly's vocal style, with hiccup-like patterns, extra syllables, abrupt changes of pitch, and what one critic termed a playfully ironic, childlike quality.

The Crickets first single, "That'll Be the Day," with "I'm Looking for Someone to Love" on the flip side, was released May 27, 1957. By June, it charted third on the pop charts and second on the rhythm and blues charts. It made Holly virtually an overnight success. His popularity quickly rivaled that of Elvis Presley. Holly and his band were thought to be black by those who only heard them. In 1957, they traveled with black artists and performed at predominantly black theaters like the Apollo in New York and the Howard in Washington, D.C. The Apollo audience was indifferent at first. But on the third day there, the Crickets started with a "Bo Diddley" song which thrilled the crowd. The band was soon on television's "American Bandstand," "The Arthur Murray Dance Party," and "The Ed Sullivan Show" and on tour with the biggest rock music acts. Holly's second solo single, "Peggy Sue," with "Everyday" on the flip side, topped out at third on the charts. The Crickets' second single, "Oh Boy!," with "Not Fade Away," sold nearly a million copies.

Guitarist Niki Sullivan quit the band, and the Crickets toured Australia, Florida, and Great Britain as a trio before a new guitarist, Tommy Allsup, joined them. Their third single, "Maybe Baby," with "Tell Me How" on side two, charted in the top 100. In the summer of 1958 Holly met Maria Elena Santiago, a receptionist at a music company. Buddy asked her to marry him on their first dinner date that night. She accepted. The wedding was on August 15, 1958 in Lubbock. Late 1958 brought a slow period in Holly's career. In October, he decided to move to New York City. Allison and Mauldin wanted to stay with Norman Petty in Clovis. Holly agreed to break up the Crickets and go solo. But in January 1959, Holly was accompanied on a tour by Allsup, bassist Waylon Jennings, an old Lubbock friend who became a country music star, and drummer Charlie Bunch. Promoters falsely billed them as the Crickets.

After a February 2 show in Clear Lake, Iowa, Holly and his band, along with Ritchie Valens, and J. P. (the Big Bopper) Richardson, were to take a tour bus on a 430-mile trip to Moorhead, Minnesota, but Holly chartered a plane to fly him and his band to Fargo, North Dakota, near Moorhead. Jennings and Allsup gave up their seats to Richardson and Valens. The red Beechcraft Bonanza, named "Miss American Pie," took off from Mason City, ten miles east of Clear Lake, at around 1:50 AM on February 3, 1959. The weather was cold and snowy. The plane crashed just after taking off, eight miles from the Mason City airport. The pilot, Valens, Richardson, and Holly, who was found twenty feet from the point of impact, died. Shortly following Holly's funeral in Lubbock, his pregnant widow, Maria, had a miscarriage.

The last Buddy Holly single, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," with "Raining in My Heart" on the reverse side, which had been released a few weeks earlier on January 5, hit the Top 100 on the day of the crash. Holly's music was a major influence for such rock music legends as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, Linda Ronstadt, Bruce Springsteen, and Elvis Costello. In 1971, Don McLean released a song calling February 3, 1959, "the day the music died." The song was called "American Pie," and it became a number one hit. The following quote is just a sample of its lengthy, poignant lyrics: 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. So, bye bye, Miss American Pie Drove my Chevy to the levy But the levy was dry And them good old boys were drinkin whiskey and rye, singin: This'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die. The movie The Buddy Holly Story was released in 1978. This movie version of his life and contribution to music started a major revival of Holly's short, influential career. The city of Lubbock soon realized the financial benefits of promoting Buddy Holly's hometown as a tourist attraction. In 1979 the city commissioned a bronze statue of Holly by sculptor Grant Speed. It was unveiled in 1980, near the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. Lubbock later celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of Buddy Holly's birth with a concert featuring Bo Diddley and Bobby Vee. A 1990 auction of Holly memorabilia in New York raised over $703,000. Gary Busey, who played Buddy in The Buddy Holly Story, bought his guitar for $242,000.

The Hard Rock Cafe bought Holly's trademark eyeglasses for $45,100. Bibliography: Ron Tyler, ed., The New Handbook of Texas, Vol. 3 (Austin, Texas: Texas State Historical Association, 1996) pp. 666-67. The Ultimate American Pie Website, American Pie by Don McClean . National Public Radio report on the 40th anniversary of Buddy Holly's death, February 3, 1999. Michael Bane, Who's Who in Rock (New York: Facts on File, 1981) p. 99. Buddy Holly - Biography - IMDb Buddy Holly Biography Showing all 42 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trade Mark (2) | Trivia (32) | Personal Quotes (2) Overview (4) 5' 11½" (1.82 m) Mini Bio (1) Buddy Holly was born on September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas, USA as Charles Hardin Holley. He was married to Maria Elena Santiago.

He died on February 3, 1959 in Clear Lake, Iowa, USA. Spouse (1) Wore horn rimmed black glasses Fender Stratocaster Trivia (32) Died when his chartered plane (N 3794 N) crashed. Also on board and killed in the crash were Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson). An investigation determined the cause of the crash was "pilot error"; the pilot was not qualified to fly by instruments, and the plane took off in a snowstorm. Despite later urban legends, the plane was not named the "American Pie"; it had no name. His date of death (February 3, 1959) was forever immortalized as "The Day the Music Died" in the song "American Pie" by Don McLean . Many, including Holly's father and his manager, were against Buddy's marriage to Maria Elena Santiago, a young Puerto Rican girl he met in New York months before his death. Waylon Jennings was part of Buddy's backup group and was supposed to be on the fateful flight but, instead, allowed The Big Bopper , who was sick, to take his place.

Buddy's group was The Crickets and they stayed together after his death. Had a cat named Booker T. and a dog named Alonzo. Attended and graduated from Lubbock High School in Lubbock, Texas (1955). Had two brothers: Larry Holley (born 1925), Travis Holley (born 1927), and one sister: Patricia Lou Holley (1929-2008). Pictured on one of four 29¢ US commemorative postage stamps in the Legends of American Music series, issued in booklet form 16 June 1993. This Rock & Roll/Rhythm & Blues set of stamps also honored Otis Redding , Dinah Washington and Elvis Presley . He was voted the 13th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of all time by Rolling Stone. His wife was pregnant at the time of his death, but later suffered a miscarriage. Following his untimely death, he was interred at City of Lubbock Cemetery in Lubbock, Texas. Holly was a member of an independent Baptist church in Lubbock called Tabernacle Baptist Church; his funeral was conducted there.

His brother is still a member. Actual Crickets (the ones that chirp) got into the recording studio and are heard in the fade out of the single "Listen to Me". Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (charter member) (1986), the American Songwriters Hall of Fame (1986), and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1994). Although he used the last name "Holly" as a professional recording artist (it was an uncorrected mistake on his first recording contract; he liked the spelling and kept it), his gravestone gives the correct spelling of his name which is Holley. In recognition for his achievements, the city of Lubbock erected a life-size statue of Holly next to the convention center. The statue shows Holly strumming his Fender Stratocaster guitar and tapping his heel (he tapped his heel instead of his toe) which also serves as a monument to the West Texas Hall of Fame. At the base of Holly's feet, there are plaques with the names of famous Texans. The Beatles took their name in tribute to Buddy Holly and The Crickets .

John Lennon and Paul McCartney were both inspired to write their own songs after learning that Holly wrote (or co-wrote) many of his own songs. In the period of 1958 to 1960, the band had been using many different names, most prominently "The Quarrymen" (after the school they attended) and "Johnny and the Moondogs". According to some stories, it was Stuart Sutcliffe (the famed "fifth Beatle") who suggested the name "The Beetles" and that John changed the spelling to give the name a double meaning. In 1959, The Crickets ' recorded a tribute to Buddy written by member Sonny Curtis , "(I Love You) More Than I Can Say". It was later a charted hit for Bobby Vee in 1961 (#61) and Leo Sayer in 1980 (#02). Buddy Holly and The Crickets' first million seller for Brunswick Records in 1957, "That'll Be the Day", was a reworking of an earlier solo version by Buddy for Decca Records, the parent company.

In order not to confuse the record-buying public, "The Crickets" were printed on the Brunswick label as the groups's full name. On Coral Records they were only listed as Buddy Holly. Subsequently, the group would continue to issue two singles at a time, instead of the usual one, one on Coral ("Peggy Sue") and the other on Brunswick ("Oh Boy"). This arrangement remained in effect for the rest of Buddy's recording career. A net result of 11 singles from 1957-58. Holly's longtime manager was independent studio owner and producer Norman Petty ; he eventually split with Petty because Petty insisted on a co-credit for the songs he recorded with Holly and the Crickets (entitling Petty to a share of the royalties). Petty withheld royalty money owed to Holly, after the split and Holly's move to New York. Financial reasons forced Holly to go on his final tour, the Winter Dance Party. He was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California on what would have been his 75th birthday [September 7, 2011].

Buddy and his friends went to see The Searchers (1956) starring John Wayne . Several times throughout the film, Wayne says "That'll be the day". The repeated phrase stuck with Holly and he wrote the song that would become his first #1 hit. Buddy Holly had written a song for his niece called "Cindy Lou". It was a slow ballad. But then his bandmate, Jerry Allison, asked Buddy to change the title to "Peggy Sue" after his girlfriend. They had been fighting and he asked Holly to alter the song as a way of making up with her. Buddy's band was not originally called "The Crickets". The name came about after a recording of the song "I'm Gonna Love You Too". At the end of the track is a real chirping cricket. The band took it's name from that point on. Every issue of that track on record, tape, and CD still includes the cricket at the end. The odd lyric "Drunk Man, Street Car, Foot Slipped, There You Are!" in the song "I'm Looking for Someone to Love" comes from an odd saying of Buddy's uncle. (According to family lore).

The title of the song "Maybe, Baby" is derived from a saying of Buddy's mother. Before forming The Crickets, Buddy Holly performed country and western music with a singing partner, Bob Montgomery. The two of them recorded some songs together but never drew any attention until Buddy turned his attention to rock-n-roll. "Not Fade Away" a 1957 B-side to "Oh Boy" by Buddy Holly and The Crickets, written by Holly, is ranked #107 within "Rolling Stones' 500 Greatest Songs". Featuring a "Bo Diddley backbeat", it became The Rolling Stones' (group) first single in 1962. It was later reworked by The Who, in 1965, to form their signature standard "My Generation". On October 25, 1958, he appeared, for the only time, on The Dick Clark Show (1958). He performed "It's So Easy" with The Crickets. Later in the show, he performed "Heartbeat", solo, while standing on a makeshift bridge, with guitar in hand.

"Peggy Sue Got Married/Crying, Waiting, Hoping" was a 2-sided single, released after his death, in the summer of 1959 on Coral. The songs were found on his tape recorder, performed by Buddy with an acoustic guitar. A weak background chorus was added to both songs, in the first release. The record didn't receive any degree of popularity at the time. "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" was later covered by The Beatles as well as other groups. "Peggy Sue Got Married" was later the title song of the 1986 film. There the original unedited version of the song was used and was well received. He made his final television appearance on October 28, 1958 with The Crickets on New American Bandstand 1965 (1952), performing "It's So Easy". Personal Quotes (2) None of us could have made it without Elvis. Lyrics: That'll be the day when you say goodbye / That'll be the day when you made me cry / You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie 'cause / That'll be the day when I die. See also

Question: The Crickets backed which famous singer-songwriter?
Answer: Buddy Holly