Buddy Holly

Lore & Background

Buddy Holly was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas, during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his two siblings. He made his first appearance on local television in 1952, and the following year formed the group Buddy and Bob with his friend Bob Montgomery. In 1955, after opening once for Elvis Presley, Holly decided to pursue a music career. He played with Presley three times that year, and his band's style shifted from country and western to rock and roll. In October that year, when Holly opened for Bill Haley & His Comets, he was spotted by Nashville scout Eddie Crandall, who helped him get a contract with Decca Records.

Unhappy with producer Owen Bradley's musical style and control in the studio, Holly went to producer Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico, and recorded a demo of 'That'll Be the Day'. Petty became the band's manager and sent the demo to Brunswick Records, which released it as a single credited to the Crickets. On October 4, 1957, 'That'll Be the Day' topped the US charts and reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, followed by another major hit, 'Peggy Sue'. The album The 'Chirping' Crickets reached number five on the UK Albums Chart. Holly made his second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1958 and soon after toured Australia and then the UK.

Reader's Guide

Buddy Holly's career, though brief, had a lasting impact on rock and roll. He is often regarded as the artist who defined the traditional rock-and-roll lineup of two guitars, bass, and drums. During his short career, Holly wrote and recorded many songs. He was a major influence on later popular music artists, including Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, the Hollies, Elvis Costello, and Elton John. Holly was among the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1986. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 13 in its list of 100 Greatest Artists in 2010. His death in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, along with Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson, was later referred to by Don McLean as 'The Day the Music Died' in his song 'American Pie'.

Did You Know?

• Buddy Holly's stage name came from a misspelling of his surname 'Holley' in his Decca Records contract.
• The phrase 'That'll Be the Day' was inspired by the film The Searchers, starring John Wayne.
• Holly's band chose the name 'Crickets' to subvert contract limitations with Decca Records.
• He was among the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"All songs written by Buddy Holly, except as noted." — Buddy Holly "Maybe baby I'll have you,Maybe baby you'll be true.Maybe baby I'll have you for me. (All for me)It's funny honey you don't care-a-are,You never listen to my prayer-a-yer,Maybe baby you will love me someday (someday)." — Buddy Holly "It's so easy to fall in love — it's so easy to fall in love.People tell me love is for fools,So here I go breaking all of the rules." — Buddy Holly "Sometimes we'll sigh — sometimes we'll cryAnd we'll know why just you and I know true love ways." — Buddy Holly