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By Greg Flakus
Lubbock, Texas
© 2009

On February 3, 1959, a small plane crashed in a corn field in Iowa, killing three rock and roll stars – Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, known as “The Big Bopper”.

Earlier this month people from around the world gathered in the small city of Lubbock, Texas, to remember singer/ songwriter Buddy Holly, who died 50 years ago.  His influence on popular music continues even today, and is observed in a new three CD album by Decca called, Buddy Holly Memorial Collection.

Charles Hardin Holly, known to his family and friends as Buddy, was only 22 years old when he died, but he had by that time created a guitar-driven rock and roll style that would live on among rock bands around the world.

In only a few years, the Lubbock native created hit songs that are still played today – classics like “That’ll be the Day,” inspired by a line John Wayne spoke in the western movie “The Searchers”.

Holly rocked his fans with songs like “Peggy Sue” and “Maybe Baby” and then soothed them with ballads like “Everyday”.

The song marked the first use in pop music of a celesta – an instrument mainly associated with classical music performances.

Fans say Holly’s music still relevant

Holly’s style and musical experimentation appealed to many up-and-coming musicians, especially in Britain, where he has many fans even among people born long after his death.

Among the British visitors to Lubbock for the 50th anniversary of Holly’s death are Phil and Caroline Jenkins.

“The Beatles and the Rolling Stones – they all credit Buddy as being a major influence,” Jenkins said. “It seems that you get more in England than you do here. He is bigger there than he is here. You know, he is bigger there than he is here. Lots of people here we talk to go, ‘Who?’ They don’t know the name.”

Jessica Camacho helps run the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock, which is holding panel discussions and special events to commemorate Holly’s death.

Camacho is only 26 years old, but she says she recognizes the importance of Holly – not only to her hometown, but also to the world of music.

“I don’t know how many younger people realize what kind of influence Buddy Holly had even on the music that they hear today that they love. I think his influence was far reaching,” Camacho said.

Friend says Holly strove for recognition

There are still many people living here in Lubbock who knew Buddy Holly well. Among them is former musician and disc jockey Jack Neal, who was Buddy Holly’s first musical partner on a local radio show. He sat in on jam sessions with Holly and a young rock singer from Memphis, Tennessee named Elvis Presley, just months before Elvis went on to become a legend himself.

“I truly believe that if Buddy had still been living, he would have been as big as Elvis, if not bigger, because of the two different styles of people that they were,” Neal said.

Neal knew Buddy Holly as a close friend as well as an artist, and he misses him still. He recalls one of his last conversations with him, not long before he died.

“He was in town and we were at one of the drive-ins and it was just before he left to go on that last tour and he said he wanted people to know Buddy Holly,” Neal recalled. “He wanted them to know the name. He said the money was nice, but he wanted people to know the name. And so that was his goal and that is exactly what he did.”

The fatal plane crash in Iowa was commemorated in 1971 by singer/songwriter Don McLean in his hit song, “American Pie,” which spoke of “the day the music died.” But most Buddy Holly fans say his music never died and that it lives on in the rock and roll he helped create.

In my day, Barry White was called a Maestro of love. With just a mere sound of his voice, he drove almost every woman around the world nuts. According to BBC news, from his first international hit, Love’s Theme, in 1973, White expounded on only one topic. Songs, such as his theme tune, You’re The First, My Last, My Everything, typically dealt with what he termed “the only subject on planet earth – lurve between fellow human beings”. White had not always conducted himself in such a loving way, and the theme of his songs was a long way from his own background Los Angeles’ South Park neighbuorhood, although he was born in Galveston, Texas, on 12 September 1944. His brother Darryl was murdered in a clash with a rival gang, and White himself was jailed – at the age of 17 – for stealing $30,000 worth of Cadillac tyres. Read more on this story, from BBC News. If you would like to purchase some of Barry’s 0.99c oldies, click HERE, to be taken to my 99c music store. 

Albinia Jones, was a wonderful and, talented female blues singer, of the 1940′s era. I had a very difficult time trying to find research material on this artist. Very little is written about her; she is almost forgotten about. This woman had a voice like no other. When she sings, she means what she sings. It’s almost as the she is talking to you directly, when you hear her music. She has performed a few songs with the great Dizzy Gillespie. She was a featured performer on an album called “Evil Gal Blues”. Which I can’t seem to find either. I guess it is out of print most likely. You can download her song called, “Give it up daddy”, FREE Click here – Albinia Jones – mp3

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