Buddy Holly

That’ll be the Day the Music Died

by Erika Cox

Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas on September 7, 1936.

He adopted the spelling Holly after a misprint on his first recording contract. He, like so many other artists, was born into a musical family and as a child he learned to play the piano, violin, and guitar.

 

Holly performed as part of a duo in high school his music preference at the time was blue grass or the similar sounding hillbilly music. His desire to seek a career in rock music came after seeing Elvis Presley sing live in his hometown of Lubbock in 1955.

 

A few months later he would be billed to appear on the same show with Elvis Presley in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas. What an accomplishment, the hometown boy performing with Elvis Presley! Before this major happening, however, Holly opened for Bill Haley and the Crickets, which resulted in him signing on with Decca Records. Holly eventually formed his own band called the Rock and Roll and soon afterward the hits started coming.

Between 1957 and 1958 he had seven Top 40 hits in the United States and several more in England. His most famous songs were “That’ll be the Day” and “Peggy Sue”. Holly’s style was more reserved than Elvis Presley, somewhat similar to Bo Didley, reserved but fluid. His musical style was more of a cross between Rockabilly and Rock and Roll with his famous “hiccup” and “uh” sounds throughout his songs.

 

Like many other Rock and Roll artists of the 50’s, Holly’s guitar style was innovative and influential for many artists that came after him.

 

Not too many people will admit that Holly did not look the part of a Rock and Roll artist or idol and he did not have the charismatic style of Elvis Presley. However, what made him appealing were his childlike, innocent, gleeful looks and his songs that sounded cheerful, even when the words were not so uplifting there was still this enjoyable sound to them.

 

Holly appeared as an honest, sincere down home country boy that won over his fans and music lovers all around the world. Not to say other artists didn’t have this similar style but Holly looked the part.

 

His voice sounded as if he was reaching puberty, his vocal chords changing constantly from choirboy to playful teenager to sincere adult. Holly managed to bridge some racial divides when he appeared on the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem by accident.

 

The Apollo Theatre is, for the most part, exclusively for up and coming Black artists to showcase their talent and hopefully receive their initial start in the music business. Nevertheless, Holly performed at the famous Theater and despite having to prove himself several times to the all-black audience, he eventually won them over.

In 1959, he split with the Crickets and began solo touring with Ritchie Havens and the Big Bopper. On February 2 of that same year, after a performance in Iowa; Holly, Havens and the Big Bopper boarded a four-passenger plane headed for another performance in North Dakota. During a vicious snowstorm the plane crashed into a cornfield just several miles after takeoff on the morning of February 3, 1959, killing everyone on board.

 

This day February 3, 1959 is considered the Day the Music Died. It was called that because to many Holly was seen as the next Elvis or at least the next big Rock and Roll star that would continue Rock and Roll music into the next decade. When Holly died that hope died with him.

 

Holly died at the tender age of 22 years old. He was really just beginning not only his musical career but also his life and perhaps that is what is most tragic about this event, a young promising talented life gone. Even though his life was brief he has had an enormous influence on many artists since his death. He will definitely be remembered and honored as one of Rock’s pioneers.

 

Holly was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, as one of the first groups to be inducted during its formation. The Rockabilly Hall of Fame has also recognized him.

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