Buddy Holly -- 50th Anniversary February 2, 2009

[sixtwentytwelve]

Monday, February 2 marks the 50th anniversary of the last performance of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Shortly after midnight and only minutes after takeoff, the three stars were killed together with their pilot, Roger Peterson, on a flight that Holly chartered from Mason City, Iowa to Fargo, North Dakota.

The current issue of Rolling Stone magazine (Springsteen on the cover) features the first-ever published photo of Buddy Holly together with Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup on stage at the Surf Ballroom -- amazingly, the photo was discovered only two months ago in Minnesota. In addition, some terrific photos of Buddy Holly (and others) taken ca. 1957-1958 at the Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada recently came to light. The Holly photos date from April 11, 1958 [light jacket] and October 7, 1958 [dark jacket]. Collectively, the Holly photos -- which can be found at this link -- easily rank among the best photos ever taken of him on stage:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/illingwort ... 92634/show

[firstbassman]

Yup, 1:00am tomorrow.

The night the music died.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Music_Died

[hjarnett]

my uncle has a ticket for that night in clearlake but he never made it to the show he had to stay home and help his dad milk the cow's

[Scastles]

Here in Lubbock, obviously, big doings for the anniversary. However, the doings tend to be the same year after year. It's hard for event planners and city planners to agree on much, and money is always a big object. I will say this, the city just forked out $20k and a stipend to Buddy's widow whereas the city could have the rights to use Buddy's name in conjunction with events. There was one other hitch, the city also has to build a park across from the Holly museum dedicated not only for Buddy, which is fine, but Maria as well.

[jingle_jangle]

my uncle has a ticket for that night in clearlake but he never made it to the show he had to stay home and help his dad milk the cow's

Don't leave us in suspense, man!

Milk the cow's WHAT?????

[Scastles]

my uncle has a ticket for that night in clearlake but he never made it to the show he had to stay home and help his dad milk the cow's

Don't leave us in suspense, man!

Milk the cow's WHAT?????

Aw, come on, Paul. Dare he utter the words? (Jeez, this is even bad by my standards.Reads like something Peter would write. No offense, Peter).

[goofyfoot]

620-12.......Aaawwhhh, man. Thanks for sharing the photos. This time o' year flat-out brings more than a few tears to my eyes. I just dug Buddy Holly. Several years ago, I cruised into Clear Lake on a long road trip from the West Coast. I had to check out the Surf Ballroom. I was a bit hesitant to visit the crash site but I made it there. Can't adequately articulate my emotional state and mindset. Suffice it to say it was a cathartic experience. Peace, out.....Goofyfoot.

[collin]

Man, I never knew Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry were also present that night.

The history books on ever mention Buddy, Bopper, Valens and Dion/Belmonts....

ya learn something everyday..

[sixtwentytwelve]

Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry were not on the Winter Dance Party tour in 1959 (Chuck Berry toured with Buddy Holly in 1957-1958; Buddy Holly never toured with Bo Diddley, though Holly did take a swing at some Bo Diddley covers). For information on the Winter Dance Party tour (including more terrific photos), check out this link:

http://www.buddyhollyonline.com/mainwdp.html

Some video clips/interviews filmed last weekend at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake can be found at this link ... the best clip is the one featuring Tommy Allsup, interviewed in the same doorway where, a half-century ago, he flipped a coin with Ritchie Valens for the last seat on the plane:

http://www.kevinmontgomery.com/?p=138