Buddy Holly

[ACLeith]

50 years ago today (2nd Feb) Buddy Holly - and Richie Valens and The Big Bopper - played their last-ever gig at Clear Lake Iowa. Short time later, they boarded the plane and died in the early hours of the 3rd.

What made Buddy stand out from his contemporaries was his complete package of being a good singer, an excellent musician and composer, a great live performer (so I’ve read, far too young to have seen him myself !) and maybe most important of all, a musical innovator. And all this by the time he was 22 years old.

Many major stars of the 60s and 70s cite Buddy as one of the major influences on their musical development.

What if ... he had decided to stick with the bus just one more day ? What if ... the pilot was capable of flying in those weather conditions ? What if ... so many other questions. Of course he might have faded into obscurity before he was 30, or died of a drugs overdose, but on the evidence of his short life I think it more likely he would have continued to develop his enormous talent and rock music would not be the same as it became in the next 20 years.

“The Day the Music Died” ? No way, many around the world still love and play his music and will especially be playing it today and tomorrow to celebrate a short but supremely talented life.

RIP BH

[wpj]

50 years ago today (2nd Feb) Buddy Holly - and Richie Valens and The Big Bopper - played their last-ever gig at Clear Lake Iowa. Short time later, they boarded the plane and died in the early hours of the 3rd.

What made Buddy stand out from his contemporaries was his complete package of being a good singer, an excellent musician and composer, a great live performer (so I’ve read, far too young to have seen him myself !) and maybe most important of all, a musical innovator. And all this by the time he was 22 years old.

Many major stars of the 60s and 70s cite Buddy as one of the major influences on their musical development.

What if ... he had decided to stick with the bus just one more day ? What if ... the pilot was capable of flying in those weather conditions ? What if ... so many other questions. Of course he might have faded into obscurity before he was 30, or died of a drugs overdose, but on the evidence of his short life I think it more likely he would have continued to develop his enormous talent and rock music would not be the same as it became in the next 20 years.

“The Day the Music Died” ? No way, many around the world still love and play his music and will especially be playing it today and tomorrow to celebrate a short but supremely talented life.

RIP BH

very underated artist, can't help thinking he would have gone country (in a good way) at least for a while

[ACLeith]

very underated artist, can't help thinking he would have gone country (in a good way) at least for a while

Think he had the talent to be a success at whatever genre took his fancy. And If Waylon Jennings hadn't given up his seat on the plane we would forever be wondering if he would have made it or just faded away.

[Hibbie_Cameron]

I like Buddy Holly and have done a bit of reading about him in the past. Some great looking radio shows and bbc 4 programmes coming on in the next few days about the day the music died

[ancienthibby]

50 years ago today (2nd Feb) Buddy Holly - and Richie Valens and The Big Bopper - played their last-ever gig at Clear Lake Iowa. Short time later, they boarded the plane and died in the early hours of the 3rd.

What made Buddy stand out from his contemporaries was his complete package of being a good singer, an excellent musician and composer, a great live performer (so I’ve read, far too young to have seen him myself !) and maybe most important of all, a musical innovator. And all this by the time he was 22 years old.

Many major stars of the 60s and 70s cite Buddy as one of the major influences on their musical development.

What if ... he had decided to stick with the bus just one more day ? What if ... the pilot was capable of flying in those weather conditions ? What if ... so many other questions. Of course he might have faded into obscurity before he was 30, or died of a drugs overdose, but on the evidence of his short life I think it more likely he would have continued to develop his enormous talent and rock music would not be the same as it became in the next 20 years.

“The Day the Music Died” ? No way, many around the world still love and play his music and will especially be playing it today and tomorrow to celebrate a short but supremely talented life.

RIP BH

There are great 'what if' questions that kind of comment asks!! I can well remember the Big Bopper's song about a Pretty Face and pretty lace etc as an introduction to Buddy Holly. Then I learned more about BH later on and his backing band which included the great Waylon Jennings. Given how WJ developed, the comment about BH moving into 'good country' may well be correct.

However, his sad passing has meant the creation of one of the most iconic songs of al times by Don MacLean, a song I never tire of hearing, especially since he credits his ancestors as coming from Skye.

There was a commentator on radio this morning speaking about the influence of BH on British 60's pop, most especially, the Beatles. Since I have no time for the Bottles in any shape or form, I am not sure that this is a good thing.

Many many people will rightly bemoan the early passing of BH but, sometimes, it's exactly that which creates a legacy which would not otherwise exist.

[Zimmy]

There are great 'what if' questions that kind of comment asks!! I can well remember the Big Bopper's song about a Pretty Face and pretty lace etc as an introduction to Buddy Holly. Then I learned more about BH later on and his backing band which included the great Waylon Jennings. Given how WJ developed, the comment about BH moving into 'good country' may well be correct.

However, his sad passing has meant the creation of one of the most iconic songs of al times by Don MacLean, a song I never tire of hearing, especially since he credits his ancestors as coming from Skye.

There was a commentator on radio this morning speaking about the influence of BH on British 60's pop, most especially, the Beatles. Since I have no time for the Bottles in any shape or form, I am not sure that this is a good thing.

Many many people will rightly bemoan the early passing of BH but, sometimes, it's exactly that which creates a legacy which would not otherwise exist.


He was also a huge influence on the Stones and every other band at that time, never underestimate how great Holly was, had he lived he may well have been bigger than Elvis, now there's a thought. :agree:

[ancienthibby]

He was also a huge influence on the Stones and every other band at that time, never underestimate how great Holly was, had he lived he may well have been bigger than Elvis, now there's a thought. :agree:

The Stones, however, were thankfully more influenced by the blues than anything else!

[Zimmy]

The Stones, however, were thankfully more influenced by the blues than anything else!

Yes, although on their best albums they were influenced by the great Gram Parsons. :agree:

[ACLeith]

There was something about him that interested me right from an early age – I bought Peggy Sue as a “78” when it came out when I was age 9 and never tired of playing it until my cousin sat on it ! Way ahead of its time and still up there in my top 5 songs of all-time.

The best book I have read about him is by Philip Norman, which showed him to be just a human being and not a “saint”.

The “Arena” programme being shown on BBC4 on Wednesday is I think a repeat from 1985, but if it is that programme it gives a good idea of his influence. Includes an interview with Keith Richards who waxes lyrical about him and of course the Stones first big hit was “Not Fade Away”.

But avoid the film “The Buddy Holly Story” which is also being shown. The only good thing about it was Gary Busey’s realistic playing in the lead role, the rest is a disgraceful travesty of his musical life.

[ACLeith]

Zimmy, I'm sure you know that Mr Zimmerman was in the front row of the audience a couple of nights before the final concert and has stated that seeing Buddy that night convinced him to go for it as a performer ?

[Zimmy]

Zimmy, I'm sure you know that Mr Zimmerman was in the front row of the audience a couple of nights before the final concert and has stated that seeing Buddy that night convinced him to go for it as a performer ?

Indeed :agree:

[stu in nottingham]

Sometimes we can appreciate music without it being in particular to our own taste. I feel that way about Buddy Holly. He was an incredibly talented creative and innovative young artist. I don't particularly yearn to listen to his songs but one thing for sure is that most of them were absolute classics of popular music. What is more incredible is his production for a young man who died at 22 years of age.

It's a very interesting notion imagining how he would have matured as an artist. Without wishing to compare their relative merits as songwriters and performers, I'm seeing overtones of the way Elvis Costello matured so magnificently, (and no it's not just the glasses!)

[Phil D. Rolls]

Who knows what we have missed because he died? Who knows what would have happened if he'd lived? All I know is he wrote some of the cleverest songs ever and I love to hear his stuff.

[ACLeith]

All I know is he wrote some of the cleverest songs ever

Completely agree FR. It's astonishing how he could write completely different melodies and styles around the same 3 basic chords.

Moving the thread slightly towards our beloved Hibees, I was looking at some of his titles and the following jumped out at me as being appropriate to our lifelong belief that we WILL win the SC someday - Crying, waiting, hoping; That'll be the day; It's so easy :wink:; Oh Boy; Wishing; Valley of Tears :boo hoo:. And if we don't in my lifetime then "It doesn't matter anymore" !

This is beginning to sound too much of a coincidence .... maybe tucked away in one of his school jotters was a scribble that starts "Oh when the Hibs go up to lift ....." accompanied of course by those same 3 chords ??? :thumbsup:

[Toaods]

anyone watch the movie featuring Gary Bussey on BBC 4 last night?

great wee hour and a half....:thumbsup:

[Phil D. Rolls]

Completely agree FR. It's astonishing how he could write completely different melodies and styles around the same 3 basic chords.

Moving the thread slightly towards our beloved Hibees, I was looking at some of his titles and the following jumped out at me as being appropriate to our lifelong belief that we WILL win the SC someday - Crying, waiting, hoping; That'll be the day; It's so easy :wink:; Oh Boy; Wishing; Valley of Tears :boo hoo:. And if we don't in my lifetime then "It doesn't matter anymore" !

This is beginning to sound too much of a coincidence .... maybe tucked away in one of his school jotters was a scribble that starts "Oh when the Hibs go up to lift ....." accompanied of course by those same 3 chords ??? :thumbsup:

I agree it's all about that three chord thing, and the clever places he changes them. That'll be the day would be a great anthem for Hibs - maybe, I guess it doesn't matter anymore, but I'll still think it over.