Dion DiMucci (of Dion and the Belmonts) turned down a seat on that plane. It went to Valens instead.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/content/accent/epaper/2009/02/01/a1d_dion_web_0201.html
Waylen Jennings turned down a seat on that plane, too.
He was 19 at the time.