There was room for two more passengers on the flight, and those seats were originally intended for members of Holly’s band, Tommy Allsup and Waylon Jennings. Valens won Allsup’s spot in a coin toss, according to several reports. Richardson was feeling ill and convinced Jennings to let him have his seat on the plane. According to Jennings’ memoir, Waylon: An Autobiography, he and Holly joked about the change in travel arrangements. Holly told him that “I hope your damned bus freezes up again.” Jennings replied. “Well, I hope your ol’ plane crashes.” This casual remark haunted Jennings for years.
I watched a documentary on Amazon, “The Day the Music Died”: the Story of Don MacLean’s American Pie” and he talks about how his music was influenced by Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, and their tragic deaths.
He actually meets with Valens’ sister and does a concert in Moorhead Minnesota.
It was a fantastic documentary and I heartily recommend it!