Tex Wilson Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Today is the 61st anniversary of "The Day the Music Died". Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson) along with their pilot were all lost in a tragic airplane crash outside of Clear Lake, Iowa on this day. They had just finished playing the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake and rented the plane to fly to their next gig in Minnesota when it went down in a corn field. RIP, your music touched a generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Indeed, it was a sad day. Although, I was not really into music yet, my big brother was so I knew and liked them and grew to really like them. I was recently on a 50s kick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 I was 12 and since my sister who was 8 yrs older had all those records. I listened to them as a kid. That was truly a sad day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Hangtree Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Waylan Jennings was playing bass guitar for Buddy's band, and gave up his seat on the plane to Big Bopper. RIP to all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Graybeard Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Waylon lost his seat on a coin toss. I live right in that area. They finally put a marker up where the crash sight was. The last owner of the Surf restored the inside to pretty much as it was then. Really a neat place. I was there New Years Eve. I believe it is a non-profit that has the Surf Ballroom now. It was last weekend they had the Winter Dance Party. A remembrance of those three and the music. There are people from all over the country that come to it. Every year there are quite a few from England that come over. The British Buddy Holley Society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highwall Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Thank goodness Waylan was able to rebound from the devastating event or not only would we have been deprived of Buddy's future songs but Waylan's too! He never got over it but trucked on and had a stellar career enlightening us with his distinctive voice and memorable lyrics. God bless them all for the smiling faces they gave us with their talent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 10 hours ago, Old Man Graybeard said: Waylon lost his seat on a coin toss. I live right in that area. They finally put a marker up where the crash sight was. The last owner of the Surf restored the inside to pretty much as it was then. Really a neat place. I was there New Years Eve. I believe it is a non-profit that has the Surf Ballroom now. It was last weekend they had the Winter Dance Party. A remembrance of those three and the music. There are people from all over the country that come to it. Every year there are quite a few from England that come over. The British Buddy Holley Society. I believe he lost the coin toss to Ritchie Valens?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Graybeard Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 I can’t remember if it was Ritchie or JP... There is some local lore about what happened. It was cold and bad weather. But some of the local “gossip” could possibly have some credibility. There was never an autopsy on the pilot. And there were never any lawsuits over the crash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sun Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Waylon gave up his seat to JP because JP was sick an didn't want to take the bus because it was cold. Jennings always felt like he was responsible for the crash because before they parted Buddy Holly (jokingly) said "I hope your bus breaks down" and Jennings replied "I hope your plane crashes". According to an interview with Waylon that I watched many years ago, the guilt from that statement and that he was supposed to be on that plane weighed heavy on him for the rest of his life. Airplane, helicopter and auto accidents have taken many talented performers from us.....way too many. Buddy Holly was before my time but I still appreciate his music. Rock and Roll continued on and still continues on to this day. For me, the "Day the music died" was the day that Lynryd Skynryd's plane went down. I'd just been at the concert in St. Pete 2 or 3 days before. That was pretty much the end of the so called "Southern Rock" era. RIP to all of the great musicians that were silenced way too soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Sheridan Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Place the blame on the tour promoters that were forcing them to play one city after another with no rest in between. The bus had no heat and it was barely able to get to each town in time for the show anyway, and Buddy Holly finally got fed up and tried to get to the next gig early so he could rest a bit. That ended up costing him his life. Unfortunately even today's performers often have to deal with similar crap from their managers and promoters. Gotta chase the Almighty Dollar, no matter if it runs the poor fellows into the ground. No wonder so many eventually turn to drugs and alcohol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 16 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said: I was 12 and since my sister who was 8 yrs older had all those records. I listened to them as a kid. That was truly a sad day! Oh my! The only difference between us was that I was 10 and I had a brother with all those records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 As long as we remember and perform those songs and honor those who gave them to us, THE MUSIC WILL NEVER DIE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Hombre Sin Nombre Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 2 hours ago, Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 said: Oh my! The only difference between us was that I was 10 and I had a brother with all those records. That's not possible. I've met you many times and you can't be 71. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 8 minutes ago, El Hombre Sin Nombre said: That's not possible. I've met you many times and you can't be 71. Thank you! I will be in April. Haven't you heard, 70 is the new 50? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Hombre Sin Nombre Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Just now, Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 said: Thank you! I will be in April. Haven't you heard, 70 is the new 50? Hot damn! and here I was thinking you didn't look a day over 35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 "There oughta be a law..." celebrities should NEVER fly in light, non-scheduled aircraft. That includes basketball and baseball players! Kobe Bryant, Roberto Clemente, and a Chicago Cub, whose name I can't recall who flew his own plane into a lake! Likewise, JFK, Jr. should not have assumed having recently gotten his instrument rating, that he was qualified to fly into the haze/fog conditions that resulted in his death! (When I passed my instrument written exam, my Fixed Base Operator owner told me the only thing that would keep me alive until I got more experience under IFR would be to do a fast 180 and get outta there!) "Bye. bye, Miss American Pie! Drove my Chevy to the levy, but the levy was dry... And good ol' boys were drinking whiskey an' rye, Singing this'll be the day that I die! This will be the day that I die!" "Oh, baby, you know what I like!" RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffield, SASS #23454 Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 Let us not forget that Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins and Patsy Cline were lost in a plane crash, as was Jim Reeves. Duffield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixgun Sheridan Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 ...and Audie Murphy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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