Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper.
Buddy Holly
My Dad often tells me of that fateful day on 3 February 1959 when he experienced precisely what Don McLean described in his song "American Pie". He tells me how he was doing his normal newspaper delivery round when one of the papers fell open and he saw the headline. "Buddy Holly dead" he recalls with tears in his eyes as he describes how he fell to his knees in shock. The day the music died, indeed.
Buddy Holly was only 22 when he died but he was such a prolific recorder that his record label was able to release music for almost a decade after his death. My favourite songs by him are "Not Fade Away" and "Well Alright".
Not Fade Away - Buddy Holly
My favourite song by Ritchie Valens has to be "La Bamba" and the film La Bamba was one of my favourite films when I was growing up. I still know the Spanish words to "La Bamba" off by heart!!!
I'm not really a fan of The Big Bopper but I'd have to give his song "Chantilly Lace" mention as it is an absolute rock 'n roll classic.
Rest in peace gentlemen. You have no idea the impact you all continue to have on music 50 years after your deaths.
