Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson.
Every year, my co-worker goes down to Clear Lake, Iowa to the ballroom where they played their last show. They have a big event there every year on the anniversary of their death. I’m not sure who’s playing this year.
Every day, it’s-a gettin’ closer…goin’ faster than a rollercoaster…
shivers
:eek: :eek: :eek:
OH MY GOD!! WE’VE BEEN LISTENING TO ZOMBIE MUSIC FOR THE PAST 47 YEARS!!
I remember a big deal being made on the 30th anniversary of his death, but that was a very different world in many ways. I wonder if television will be able to drum up any enthusiasm for the 50th anniversary.
cheffie, you rawk.
When I think of this I recall that one of them (Ritchie Valens?) “won” a coin toss to be on that plane.
Geez. Ya never know.
Judging from some of the incredibly disrespectful posts in this thread, it doesn’t look promising.
Heads or tails, though? :eek:
It’s a sad day. My post certainly wasn’t meant disrespectfully; I do shiver every time I hear that line.
Good thing you don’t have it on shuffle.
I often forget to include Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper when I’m thinking about the day. Buddy Holly was the ace in that hand, and Richardson was the joker. Valens was good, and I suspect only getting better. But if he hadn’t died in such company the quality of his work would not have saved him from obscurity. A lot of talented people from that era are remembered for one song if they’re lucky, so even if he’d had a chance to blossom I expect he would have lapsed into obscurity only to reappear in occasional revival specials and county fairs after his voice had broken, like so many others. I’m not saying I’m glad he died, but it did freeze his status at a high point. He didn’t, you know, just fade away.
You know, some people will do anything to avoid going to the greater Fargo/Moorhead area.
:::d&r:::
(I’m from there–I should know!)
I’ve been there, and this made me laugh out loud. Then cringe really hard.
I came back to this thread, because I felt badly for having posted my previous entry–I meant no disrespect to the memories of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson. May they rest in peace.
(I just can never pass up the opportunity to playfully give my old stomping grounds the needle.)
Did you know the name of the guy that gave up his seat on that plane to Valens?
Waylon Jennings
Harry Belafonte?
I have to admit I’m perplexed at the joke responses to this thread. Granted, the OP didn’t elaborate pre-link to the significance of today; the 47th anniversary of a tragic plane crash that took the lives of three prominent pioneers of popular music. If you read the link, though, it was apparent what the OP was talking about.
Not offended or in a twist about it, really, just wondering why it would be immediately funny to riff off of a tragic event. It was an awful crash, and such sad circumstance. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and JP Richardson were quite tired during the tour; Richardson won his seat from Waylon “from a coin toss”, but by all accounts, was also coming down with a fever, so got the plane vs bus seat. You know, February and all, in the midwest.
If you want to know the sad gory details, you can find the coroner’s report on the OP’s link, complete with the body positions thrown from the plane.
Being a music fan, I see the crash as being tragic. I especially wonder what Buddy Holly would have become if he had lived. He really was brilliant, and shook it up during the time he had. The three musicians who died 47 years ago today helped lay the foundations for popular music we all enjoy, and part of that was some grueling touring schedules. These guys died during that: immensely sad.
Hope that illuminates why “The Day the Music Died” has significance.