The 50th Aniversary of "The Day The Music Died"

[CaddyKid21]

On this day fifty years ago, three stars met a tragic end in a small private plane that crashed into a field in Iowa during a snowstorm while on tour. This day was coined by Don McLean as "The Day The Music Died" in his song "American Pie" in dedication to his inspiration, Buddy Holly. Buddy Holly has influenced Rock and Roll, Ritchie was an up and coming star, and The Big Bopper was a boisterous DJ with a knack for humorous songs and a great personality that could put a smile on anyone's face.
All popular, with bright futures ahead. Who knows what they would be doing now. Retirement, a personal brand such as "Holly Guitars", car commercials? We will never know. They were taken in their prime, they will live on in history, and in song.

Share your memories of this day, thoughts, favorite songs, call me crazy if you want. Whatever you please.

CaddyKid21

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I was two years away from being born, but I'm listening to some Buddy Holly right now.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I was just shy of my fifth birthday in Binghamton, NY and my parents were planning our imminent move to Florida. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, were not part of my conversation yet as I was still into Leslie Uggams at the time. But.....................

All that would change when a certain Buddy Holly impersonator came on the scene in '64. He and his mate, who now owns the entire BH catalog by the way, did pretty good for themselves. I first heard Buddy Holly tunes as done by those 'Nerk Twins' before I ever knew who he was. But..............

I sure know now, and it's all due to the tribute given by those great bands of the '60's who refused to let the music die! Here's to Buddy and his soul mate and heavenly rhythm guitar player.........

-dixon 'Cricket' cannon

 

[Jay]

You're Certainly Not Crazy

What a tragedy for rock and roll. The thing's sorta been on my mind all day. It's a shame to see 3 young guys gone just like that. Man, IT does make you wonder.

 

[JohnnyGringo]

I've always loved Buddy's music-so much in fact, that I was doing Buddy Holly tunes with the showband I was traveling with at the time (1982) when I met my wife in a dinner theatre in Omaha, Nebraska. True Love Ways is our song to this very day, and Buddy still rocks even after all these years!

 

[Caity Lynn]

I put out a bulletin on my myspace today, about this, I hope some of the ignorant kids my age will take notice. RIP all.


*pass out some Whiskey and rye

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Here in Southern California, the levies are really, really dry. The day ...the wa-ter died.

.

 

[VintageVixie]

The day has always been very poignant for me. My sisters and I were raised on a lot of vintage film and music, and for the longest time I couldn't even listen to American Pie because I found it so upsetting. I was in my twenties before I could listen to it without feeling very saddened.

 

[stephen1965]

Buddy Holly was also very big in the UK, although he never visited, and was very influential, (as someone mentioned before), to the English groups of the sixties. I reckon that while they seem like a breath of fresh air from some faraway sunny Texan town, some of his songs owe quite a bit to trad' folk music which is why Brits can relate to them.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

i was watching the 'buddy holly story' and 'la bamba' b/c i hadn't seen them in awhile and then realized it had been 50 years to the day...

 

[H.Johnson]

I remember the day well and how sick I felt. It is difficult to appreciate from an old man's perspective how you feel when, as an early teenager playing in a skiffle band, one of your heroes dies.