Remembering Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper 50 Years Later
'The Day the Music Died' Forever Associated with 1959 Plane Crash
Fans have built a memorial at the site of the plane crash and continue to show respect by visiting the sight every year. Many people associate the plane crash as "the day the music died" but, in fact, the music has lived on even after all of these years. Even though I was not born until 1977, I have always been familiar with the music of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. A younger generation may not realize how much of an influence these 3 great artists have still today. The songs "Peggy Sue" and "La Bamba" and The Big Bopper's recording of "Chantilly Lace" are all familiar even to an average 18-year-old.
A tribute to the three music icons was held last night in Clear lake, Iowa, at the Sun Surf Ball room. The Sun Surf ball room was the last place Buddy Holly played before his plane crashed. The sold out concert was called "50 winters later" Fans were able to meet Buddy Holly's widow, Maria Elena Holly and also members of the Valens family and The Big Bopper's son, JP "Richardson Jr. "The Big Bopper Jr."
Buddy Holly was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Ritchie Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. The Big Bopper has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In 2007, The Big Bopper's son had his dad's body exhumed and had another autopsy done. Rumors had always been present that The Big Bopper had been shot before the plane crash. The autopsy reveled what The Big Bopper Jr. had always believed, his father had not been shot. JP Richardson Jr. never had a chance to meet his father, his mother was pregnant with him when the plane crashed.
If you would like to pay tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper you can visit the crash site in Clear Lake, Iowa. The city of Clear Lake has posted directions on their website here. The city asks fans respect the site, which is on private property.
If you would like to see a video Don McLean performing "American Pie" A video has been posted on you tube that is of decent quality. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6uEjifqTaI
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper still live on in music today.
Sources
http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/buddy-holly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Bopper
http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/ritchie-valens
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/17/AR2007011701976.html
http://www.clearlakeiowa.com/vi/attractions.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Holly
Published by Colleen Starr
Colleen Starr is a native Floridan who is slightly obsessed with celebrities and pop culture. She always knows the latest news and gossip and will keep you informed. View profile
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6 Comments
Post a Commentthat was sad about how they died maybe it was the time for them to go
buddy holly ritchie valens big bopper is 1 of my favorite singers in2 the whole wide world i some times here them on2 the radio kool 94.3 fm the oldys station and yes they have 1derfull singing voices and they were way 2 young 2 die like that they should of cancelled there trip 2 more head,mn due 2 bad weather oh well they are probly singing up in2 heaven 4 every day 2 kome
man i dig all those dudes cant help but cry still,the music died...rafael
I actually feel like Ritchie%2C Buddy and JP Richardson are dear%2C missed friends of mine%21 I wasn%27t around when they passed%2C but I enjoy their individual life stories and the fantastic music they left behind. One of my hobbies is collecting vinyl albums of Ritchie Valens and these framed treasures now cover my musicroom walls%21 %0D%0A Thanks for reading%21 DS Barbour
Even my kids know about all of them. Maybe it is because their Mom has great taste in music ;)
I know very few individuals under 30 years of age who know any of these great rock and roll legends were. The fact that Madonna is in the rock and roll hall of fame and the big bopper is not is proof that truly great rock and roll music is dead. Someone once asked Don McLean what the song American pie really means. "It means I'll never have to work again" he replied with a grin.