The Day The Music Died

Posted by matt Tuesday, February 3, 2009 - 09:47
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Location: Mason City , IA, 50401

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The Day The Music Died
Feb. 3 marks 50th anniversary of the plane crash that changed rock 'n' roll

By Matt Munoz, MAS Staff

You’ve heard the song, but do you remember the story?

On a cold stormy night, Feb. 3, 1959, three of rock music’s most popular, up-and-coming stars took a plane ride, never to return.

Frustrated with tour bus conditions after a gig the night before at Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa - rock hitmaker Buddy Holly, along with rising teen idol Ritchie Valens, and radio personality turned music star - J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, decide to board a small charter craft headed to their next gig in Hector Airport in Fargo, North Dakota once their show was over that night.

Buddy Holly

On their way to their destination, the plane crashed into a cornfield, killing all four passengers, including pilot Roger Peterson.

Above: photo from 1959 crash site

Immortalized in movies, “The Buddy Holly Story” (1978), with actors Gary Busey as Holly; as well as “La Bamba” (1987), with Lou Diamond Phillips as Valens and Esai Morales as his brother Bob, many music fans will forever associate the incident with Don McLean's 1971 jukebox staple, “American Pie,” also covered by Madonna in 2000.

Ritchie Valens

While there is a lot of info available on the Web regarding the crash itself - everything from Buddy Holly’s autopsy report to the official accident report, there are a lot of twist of fate stories sprinkled throughout - including future country legend Waylon Jennings losing his seat to Richardson; Ritchie Valens winning a coin toss to fly; and Dion DiMucci from Dion & The Belmonts choosing not to fly due to the price of the flight ($36), among other trivia bits.

JP "The Big Bopper" Richardson

The influence of these talents on the history of popular music will always be felt and recognized. Guitarist Carlos Santana always cites Ritchie Valens as one of the reasons he picked up the guitar as a young Latino.

Covers of Don McClean's & Madonna's "American Pie"

Beatle Paul McCartney has paid tribute to Buddy Holly numerous times, even producing one of the best tribute projects available on Holly, entitled, “The Real Buddy Holly.”

And who can forget, dancing to “La Bamba,” saying “Hellllloooo Babyyyy?” like the Big Bopper, or screaming out “Rittchhhhieeee!” after you hear a Ritchie Valens song?

Above from left: The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and Buddy Holly, on the nite of the crash.

So don’t forget to raise a drink, throw on “Peggy Sue,” “Donna” or one of your favorite tracks by these legends on Feb. 3, and toast to the artists who gave us these immortal musical classics.

Above: crash site today outside Mason City, Iowa