Legendary American singer and songwriter Charles Hardin Holley, known throughout the world as Buddy Holly, was born on this day in history, September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas.
The spelling change from Holley to Holly came about because of an error in a contract he was asked to sign, which listed him as Buddy Holly, according to the website “The Buddy Holly Story.”
As the fourth and youngest child in his family, Holly was given the nickname “Buddy” by his mother, who felt his given name was too big for her young son, according to Biography.com.
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As a young girl, Holly learned to play the piano and violin, while her older brothers taught her the basics of guitar.
His parents were supportive of their son's emerging musical talent, the source said.
He was influenced by the African-American rhythm and blues he heard on the radio, according to Britannica.com.
Buddy Holly and the Crickets (left to right), Joe B. Mauldin, Buddy Holly (with Fender Stratocaster guitar) and Jerry Allison, pose for a group photo on the set of the BBC television programme “Off The Record” during their UK tour in March 1958. (John Rodgers/Redferns)
“He had already mastered country, bluegrass and gospel music and was an experienced performer by the age of 16, but he became a devotee of rhythm and blues. By 1955, after hearing Elvis Presley, Holly had become a full-time rocker,” the same source said.
Elvis' influence had a huge impact on Holly, who was captivated by Elvis' charisma and energetic, exciting sound, the New World Encyclopedia stated.
Late that year, Holly purchased a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar and developed a playing style characterized by resonant major chords that became his trademark, and is most recognizable in the solo on the tune “Peggy Sue,” Britannica.com said.
Elvis Presley had a huge impact on Buddy Holly.
Holly's big break came when the band opened for Bill Haley and his Comets at a rock and roll show in Lubbock, Texas.
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As a result of this performance, Holly was offered a contract with Decca Records to work alone.
However, according to New Work Encyclopedia, initial success as a solo artist eluded him.
Holly's public name was reportedly changed from “Holley” to “Holly” on February 8, 1956 when she signed her contract with Decca, the same source said.
Jerry Allison (far right), drummer for Buddy Holly (center) and the Crickets, died at age 82 in August 2022. Joe B. Mauldin (1940-2015) is on the far left. (Harry Hammond/V&A Images/Getty Images)
Holly formed his own band, the Crickets, and began recording albums at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico.
Among the songs they recorded was “That'll Be The Day.”
Following the release of several hit songs, he and the Crickets toured the United Kingdom in March 1958, according to “The Buddy Holly Story” website.
Holly married Maria Elena Santiago on August 15, 1958, and in 1959, Holly split from the Crickets and began a solo tour with other notable artists, including Ritchie Valens and JP Richardson, the same source said.
On February 3, 1959, Buddy Holly, along with JP “The Big Bopper” Richardson and Ritchie Valens, were killed in a tragic plane crash.
Following a Feb. 2, 1959, performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, due to mechanical difficulties with a tour bus, Holly chartered a plane for his band to fly between stops on the Winter Dance Party Tour, according to History.com.
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However, Richardson, who was suffering from the flu, convinced Waylon Jennings, a member of Holly's band, to give up his seat, and Ritchie Valens won a drawing for another seat on the plane, the source said.
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On February 3, 1959, Buddy Holly, along with JP “The Big Bopper” Richardson and Ritchie Valens, were killed in a tragic plane crash.
The accident occurred just minutes after takeoff from Mason City on a flight bound for Moorhead, Minnesota.
Photograph of Buddy Holly and the Crickets, circa 1958. Singer Don McLean forever memorialized Holly, Valens and Richardson in the 1972 number-one hit “American Pie,” which refers to February 3, 1959, as “the day the music died.” (Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Investigators blamed bad weather and pilot error for the crash, according to several sources.
Holly was only 22 years old when she died.
According to History.com, Holly's gravestone bears the correct spelling of his name, Buddy Holley. It also features a carving of his favorite guitar.
The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences opened in Lubbock in January 2021.
Singer Don McLean forever memorialized Holly, Valens and Richardson in the 1972 number-one hit “American Pie,” which refers to February 3, 1959, as “the day the music died.”
Holly's talents continued to be noticed even after her untimely death.
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“Previously unreleased recordings and compilations of Holly's work were released throughout the 1960s. Due to the continued popularity of her music and film adaptations of her life story, Holly's horn-rimmed glasses are easily recognizable today,” Biography.com stated.
His hometown of Lubbock, Texas, also paid tribute to him.
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Downtown Lubbock has a “Walk of Fame” with plaques of several area artists, including Mac Davis and Waylon Jennings, with a life-size statue of Buddy Holly playing guitar as the centerpiece.
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Additionally, the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences opened in Lubbock in January 2021.
