Happy Birthday — Buddy Holly

On this day 72 years ago, Charles Hardin “Buddy” Holley was born in Lubbock, TX. Of course he was only on our planet for 22 years, but Buddy has proven to be one of the most influential early rock-n-rollers. His hits with his backing band, The Crickets, included “Peggy Sue”, “That’ll Be The Day” and “Not Fade Away”. Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper & Buddy all sadly passed when their plane went down on a frigid winter’s night in an Iowa cornfield, following the Winter Dance Party of ’59. Buddy’s pregnant wife was widowed after only six months of marriage and miscarried their child. Don McLean wrote a song commemorating the occasion with his song, “American Pie”.

Here’s “Peggy Sue”:

Don McLean doing “American Pie”: