One event is rarely influential, but fifty years ago today something happened that altered the entire course of both rock and roll as a nascent musical movement, rock and roll in the years afterward, and music history in general. This event was a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa that claimed the lives of Charles Hardin Holley, Jiles Perry Richardson, and Richie Valens. This was The Day The Music Died, and Mental Floss has a great round-up of the event and its impact (and potential impact) on musical history.
Without this tragedy, radio DJs everywhere (The Big Bopper was one before Chantilly Lace became a hit) wouldn’t have a song to put on when they need to eat lunch or go to the bathroom. Gary Busey never would have become a huge star. Elvis Costello would have had to buy cooler eyeglasses to rock (and Rivers Cuomo would have to have an entirely different look). The Beatles might have remained The Quarrymen. The impact this one event had on music was staggering, but what could have been is just as interesting.
For example, I had no idea The Big Bopper wrote White Lightning, one of George Jones’ biggest hits; who knows what other classic songs he had in him (he had 20 other songs written and waiting at the time of his death)? I also had forgotten that country legend Waylon Jennings could have easily died in The Big Bopper’s place, and that Dion and the Belmonts were even on the same tour. As for Buddy Holly, well… considering how good he was and how young he was, the world was robbed of a seriously good musician way too early. Neatorama posted a great version of his big hit with The Crickets, which I’ll play below.
Tags: The Day The Music Died, Buddy Holly, The Crickets, Richie Valens, The Big Bopper, Peggy Sue, Winter Dance Party, anniversaries, celebrities, obituaries, Waylon Jennings, Clear Lake, Iowa
