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The Day the Music Died -- 51 years ago we lost the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly
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On Feb. 3, 1959 a plane took off from Clear Lake, Iowa carrying three stars of rock n' roll (from left): JP "The Big Bopper" Richardson, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly. They finished playing a show at the Surf Ballroom and were headed for the next stop on the Winter Dance Party tour. After a miserable experience with a tour bus the day before, Holly chartered a plane, but the plane crashed about five miles from the airport due to poor weather conditions and pilot error.
In a weird bit of fate, Valens and Richardson weren't supposed to be on the plane. It was supposed to be for Holly's band members, but bandmate Tommy Allsup and Valens flipped a coin for who would get to one seat and bandmate (and now-famous country singer) Waylon Jennings gave up his seat for the flu-stricken Richardson.
At the time of the crash, Buddy Holly was 22 years old and left behind a pregnant widow, who miscarried shortly after the crash. JP "The Big Bopper" Richardson was 28 and Ritchie Valens was just 17 years old.
The first verse of Don McLean's famous song "American Pie" called Feb. 3, 1959 "The Day the Music Died" and goes on to chronicle that tumultuous time in history using various musical milestones, starting with the death of these three musicians and ending with a verse about Janis Joplin's death in 1970.
The song is full of interesting references and metaphors, it's definitely worth a listen for any fans of 1960s music or any history buffs out there.
Just as an aside, we grew up not far from the Surf Ballroom. It's a neat old building and most summers there is some kind of festival to commemorate the Day the Music Died. If you're ever out that way, it's worth a trip.
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Photo credit: Salon.com
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The Day the Music Died Video 2010
http://www.monkeydollars.net/2010/02/day-music-died-american-pie.html
I have no problem with February 3, 1959 being lamented as the day the music died. But American Pie then goes on to trash the music of the 60's, everybody from the Beatles, to Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones.
I would not compliment it by simply saying it chronicles that tumultuous time using interesting references and metaphors. Frankly, Don McLean was rather bitter and jealous he was not more successful in his musical career.
Mike, I very strongly disagree with your assessment that "American Pie" "trashes" the music of the 60s.
How do you think it trashes Dylan, the Beatles or the Stones?
Thanks for noting the anniversary of one of the worst days in music history, even if most of the people visiting this site have no idea who the ones that died were, nor what they contributed to music.
"The Day the Music Died" has always been a phrase that courts controversy, merely because not everybody believes that "real" music ended when the 1960s began. Some truly amazing music came out of the 60s, and people with a broad appreciation for music can see that.
As for "American Pie," the song itself is rather bland and boring, in my opinion, and I've never cared for it. McClean's "Starry, Starry Night" was much superior lyrically and musicially, whereas "American Pie" has come down through the years as the musical version of an overcooked, lumpy biscuit that just seems to stay in your stomach, undigested.
Finally, musicians these days need to go back and listen to the older music, if for no other reason than to pay respect to the ones that made it possible for them to do their thing. Were it not for the music of the 1950s, kicking down the door of snobbery in music as they did, we'd probably be listening to the umpteenth version of The 1812 Overture, just with sythesizers, rather than a full orchestra. The music didn't really die when the plane went down...it just was reincarnated in those that came after.
REST IN PEACE BUDDY RICHIE BIG BOPPER ITS 51 YEARS LATER AND WE ARE STILL LISTENING TO THOSE GREAT SONGS
Rest in peace. I agree with Alicia. We're still listening, Buddy.
I was born in the 40's, so I have seen a lot of genaration changes plus I grew up with the the clothes & music of the 50's,60's, 70's,80's,etc.just as a lot ofthe rest of you have. Some I have really like Buddy Holly,Ritchie Valens& the Big Bopper for one set(let's put it since they died as one set). I also belive that each singer or performer opens the door for another upcoming singer or performer who has a much differant style than someone else. These three died in 1959 just before 1960.what a lot of folks call the hippy ara, so maybe they needed to open the door for it.who knows. Elvis,did he open the door for the Beetles.Janis Joplin did she open the door for James Brown or did James Brown open the door for her. Hard metel who opened the door for them? I'm not sure. Now for my self I'd rather they never had opened the door. Because It created a lot a problems for the younger gengeration.but then. Someone needed to figure out back in the 60's how to close that door. Now it's to late,way to late.But the music changes,& you want to know what is really funny they did out old tunes and modern singers sing them & the now kids flip over them cause they jazzed the song up to fit their taste. But yet it was the same song I grew up with. TIME REPEATS IT'S SELF IN HISTORY!
heavy
You are a very intelligent individual!