Rare tape of Buddy Holly phone call to Decca Records
February 3rd, 2009 by Eric Snider in NewsBuddy Holly perished in a plane crash 50 years ago today. Whether that was “the day the music died” depends on point of view, but it was clearly a watershed event in rock ‘n’ roll history.
Holly’s short career was beset by bad business dealings. On Feb. 28, 1957, Holly hooked up his reel-to-reel tape recorder to the phone and made a call to Decca Records, his label at the time, inquiring about a release from his contract. He then tried to persuade an executive, unsuccessfully, to let him re-record songs that had been cut in a disastrous Nashville session and tossed in the label vaults. One of those songs was “That’ll Be the Day,” which reached No. 1 late that year.
To listen to an mp3 of the conversation, click here. To read more on the situation surrounding the call, go here.
If you want to hear three of Holly’s hits, including “That’ll Be the Day,” try here.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:40 pm
amazing how little has changed in 50 years…even back then, the record companies were run by greedy weasels who manipulated their artists…
fortunately, this creep is long forgotten and Buddy’s music will live forever.
February 4th, 2009 at 4:03 am
Buddy was a smart young man. Thank goodness he did what he did. When I think back, his music is the only music I listen to that sounds like I never heard it before.
The quality of the recordings… is like they were recorded yesterday (and that was 50 years ago). My only regret is, that I never got to see him Live!
Thank you for the memories Buddy!
February 4th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
This recording of Buddy Holly talking, or trying to talk with his record lable, was sent to me by a friend i have recorded with. It is certainly true that the Lables have not changed a bit. I started making records when I was 18, for Capitol.. those two LPs have been re released ten times, since 1967 as far as i know. both as CDs and as Vinal, as a matter of fact, the most recent release of “Mad River” was a vinal release on a lable called:”sundazed”, and it came out late 2008. Capitol pretends that they have never known of any releases if i call…then if pressed, they say that it must have been a “blak market” release, then if pressed more,they remember who the band is and remind me that they OWN THE MASTERS and can and do LEASE THEM to whomever they want….also reminding me, that Mad River, the band, OWES CAPITOL money…..who knows how much they “lease the masters out for??” but i know that they have leased them 8 t imes and rereleased both lps we did for them themselves twice, it is sad, and reminds me of the large hole i have in my soul…i was also signed with RCA.Columbia,UnitedArtists and Vanguard RCDS, they all act the same…i have never made any money on anything…..i cant say that most of the people i have worked with have been much better. Duke
May 19th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
If I’m not mistaken, Decca Records is the bunch of boneheads that The Beatles did their first demos for, which they also passed on. What a legacy! I wonder if it was the same executive that decided to pass on Buddy Holly AND The Beatles. This recordeing is priceless.