"The Day the Music Died"

The facts are these: Just after 1 a.m. February 3, 1959, a three-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza went down about five miles northwest of Mason City Municipal Airport, near Clear Lake, Iowa. The plane crash took the lives of the pilot, Roger Peterson, and three musicians: Charles Hardin Holley, better known as Buddy Holly, 22; Ritchie Valens (originally Valenzuela), 17; and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, 28.

It has become famous, in Don McLean's "American Pie" formulation, as "the day the music died."

The event has echoed through rock 'n' roll history for 50 years, representing, if not the end of rock 'n' roll itself, the close of an era, the end of the first bloom of rock anarchy and innovation.

'The day the music died'?

50 years ago the lives of these three great musicians were taken.

I can't say I'm as much of a follower of The Big Bopper's music as I am Holly or Valens, but this is a tragedy that should not be forgotten. As great as these individuals were and all that they accomplished, I find it hard to believe that they were so young. Valens being only 17 and Holly 22, it is unfathomable to think of what they accomplished in such a short time when the genre was so frowned upon.

Two great films that I've watched that covers Valens and Holly, which both cover the night of the plane crash, are...

La Bamba

The Buddy Holly Story

Busey as Buddy Holly is one of the better performances by a recognizable name and face in movie history, in my opinion. The look and moves were great. Lou Diamond Phillips also does a great job as Ritchie Valens. Two of these are great, great films.

I stopped in Clear Lake Iowa once, it was when I was moving to the West at some point. We stopped at a hotel somewhere, and they had a paper clipping and plaque marking it as the place near where they died.

In Lubbock where I was born and raised; Buddy was a minor God.
who inspired many musicians and artist that have become famous as well.
www.buddyhollyonline.com...

[edit on 2-2-2009 by whaaa]

It's hard to believe it's been 50 years but great music lives forever. One of my favourite songs for as long as I can remember is by the Big Bopper, Chantilly Lace.

Helllo baby......




Yes, that's a much younger Dick Clark.

[edit on 2-2-2009 by Duzey]