The Day The Music Died: February 3, 1959

On February 3, 1959, around 1 am, a plane carrying Ritchie Valens, JP Richardson, and Buddy Holly went down killing the pilot and his three passengers. The three were touring as part of a 24 city, 3 week Midwestern "Winter Dance Party" tour. The tour bus had no heat and was subject to breakdown. Holly decided he needed clean clothes and the local laundromat was closed, so he chartered a flight.

JP Richardson was ill, so Waylon Jennings surrendered his seat on the plane. Ritchie Valens had never flown and asked for a seat. Holly's Cricket band mate Tommy Alsop had called the seat, but Valens wanted to go. So, they flipped a coin. Valens "won."

The fourth big name on the tour, Dion, was offered a seat, but felt $36 was too steep and decided to gut it out on the bus. His frugality paid off.

Rock had suffered a series of PR catastrophes by 1959. Elvis was drafted. Jerry Lee married his 13 year old cousin. Chuck Berry was caught with a white girl and a runaway to boot. Holly was it.

Buddy Holly was a great "what if?" His body of work was highly influential. If not for Holly, the Beatles and Rolling Stones would not have been the bands they were. He pioneered studio work and wrote his own stuff in an age when most artists did not write. Beyond this, Holly had a talent that most people before or since lacked. He was 22. Had he survived, there is a good chance the British Invasion might not have been as big as it eventually became.

Ritchie Valens was another pioneer. He insisted on recorded the Spanish language folk song "La Bamba." Most thought he was crazy. They were wrong. Valens pioneered Latin rock music and opened the door for others. Forty years later, in the late 90s, there was a Latin music craze in this country. It's origins can be traced back to Valens. He died at 17.

JP Richardson, aka The Big Bopper, was the old man at 28. Richardson created the first music video for his phone sex ode, "Chantilly Lace." The clip can be found on Youtube.

Fifty years on, we can still visit the crash site, watch the Youtube clips, or listen to the records, CDs, or downloads. It's a different time now, but living in such a weak musical era, it is good to reflect back and maybe throw "Oh Boy" onto the old record player.

Buddy Holly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlF-4IYeI2s

Ritchie Valens: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMOBBho_Y3I

The Big Bopper: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TcC_ni0ojo