The day the music died: 50 years ago today, Buddy Holly dies at 22

February 3rd, 2009 by Stephen Hammill in News

On Feb. 3, 1959, a four-seat airplane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson) crashed into a cornfield eight miles north of Clear Lake, Iowa.

The term “rock ‘n’ roll” had only come into widespread use about three years before.

The seeds planted between 1958-1964, between Elvis and the Beatles, go often unheralded in rock history. Motown got its start; it was Roy Orbison’s peak — same for the Beach Boys and the Four Seasons, not to mention Phil Spector, Stax and Muscle Shoals, the Shirelles, Del Shannon and James Brown.

Here are some Buddy Holly tunes for your listening enjoyment, below the jump:

From the original Buddy Holly master tapes:

That’ll Be the Day:

Download

Not Fade Away:

Download

Well Alright:

Download

Rocking Around wth Olee Vee:

Download

Also, hear rare a tape recording of Holly’s call to Decca Records, his label at the time, inquiring about a release from his contract.

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One Response to “The day the music died: 50 years ago today, Buddy Holly dies at 22”

  1. Sean Says:

    I own a <a href=”www.seanscarpetcare.com” carpet cleaning company in Portland and love his music. It is sad how life takes away the great ones so soon!

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