Buddy Holly: ’Day the Music Died,’ 50 years ago

kansascity ^ | Feb. 03, 2009 | By PAMELA HUEY

[Flavius]

DULUTH, Minn. — The rickety old bus pulled out of the Duluth Armory late on Saturday, Jan. 31, 1959, and headed across St. Louis Bay into the frigid Wisconsin night.

On board were some exhausted and stinky rock ’n’ rollers and their harried manager. The Winter Dance Party tour had just finished its ninth gig in as many days and was headed for Appleton and Green Bay, Wis., for two shows that Sunday.

[Grig]

I didn’t have INTERNET till I went to University, and it was many years after that till it became available at home.

Also, you would not kick my butt at Monopoly because I can’t stand playing it. Too long, too boring.

[JRandomFreeper]

Muehleisen was great on guit-fiddle. He played and died with Croce in the plane crash.

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

because I can’t stand playing it. Too long, too boring.

Sit through Hendrix in NY.

GET OFF MY LAWN!

/johnny

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

It was amazing.

There were fewer networks and shows, of course. But the musical acts that were on Sullivan in the '50s and '60s were incredible. There's NOTHING like that today. Everyone would be talking about it at school. In a way it held the country together. You knew everyone was watching Ed Sullivan. An amazing period in television and American culture.

[basil]

I'm from Beaumont Texas, and Buddy Holly was a big deal there, as was the Big Bopper and others. The Day the Music Died is etched in my memory. It was a very sad day for the teenager I was at the time.

I still love listening to him.

[I see my hands]

What you don't know is that culture used to be a bottom up phenom. Around the mid/late '70s what was cool became to be decided by ad campaigns. Now Generation Stupid has nothing except fear and obedience.

iTunes cranking The Beatles covering Holly's That'll Be The Day. Fine, fine, superfine. Blow your mind, every time.

The poster who said: "he really is" is right, he really is.

[Pelham]

That’s because Gen-X losers don’t have any music worth celebrating.

Deal with it.

[EDINVA]

Don’t be silly, it was BUSH’S FAULT !

(for old time sake)

[JRandomFreeper]

That’s because Gen-X losers don’t have any music worth celebrating.

They have the B**th**e Surfers, and "I Love Her So I Had to Kill Her" How's that for Hall of Fame material?

/johnny

[BBell]

You left out Nixon.

[JRandomFreeper]

They don't teach Judy Garland or Julie Andrews either. And there's been a problem for a long time with Houston, Major Tom.

/johnny

[bobby.223]

how old are you? what the hell is wrong with you? come back when you grow up and understand what real music was and means to the boomers. dry up junior.

[EDINVA]

Hadn’t heard that one in years ... not only brought back a whole bunch of memories, but, omg, what a wonderful voice and song. Hard to imagine rock and roll was considered pretty scandalous in those days. Thanks for posting.

[azishot]

I’m from Beaumont Texas, and Buddy Holly was a big deal there, as was the Big Bopper and others. The Day the Music Died is etched in my memory. It was a very sad day for the teenager I was at the time.
I still love listening to him.

***I agree. At least you can understand the words!***

[I see my hands]

Don't stop at Holly. The Carter Family, Jimmy Rodgers, Robert Johnson.. buy the complete recordings of each. Sanctify a listening area of your home as a shrine, learn the music, it will take you decades.

Also (a little Alaskan lingo), memorize (chanting while fasting works well) the lyrics of The Old Payola Roll Blues by Stan Freberg.

[I see my hands]

When mass distribution and real were at an ideal balance teenagers of the day would be bombing around in their cars when a DJ would introduce them to a new song by The Beatles called Help, or The Doors new release Light My Fire, or another single from the Rolling Stones: (I can't get no) Satisfaction. That happened every week for years. Jealous much?

Don't get frusterated, get educated.

[PC99]

That is actually a very good article - thanks for posting it.

[Free Vulcan]

Don’t worry Grig, the boomers are pretty much posers when it comes to music. They try to claim 50’s and late 70’s stuff as theirs because the heyday stuff of the late 60’s and early 70’s pretty much sucked beyond Led Zepplin and the occasional gem here and there like Rare Earth.

[Wacka]

Youngsters don’t realize how big the beatles really were. At one time they had the TOP FOUR SONGS in the country!. That’s right #1 thru #4. Today t is populated by one hit wonders.

[An American In Dairyland]

I love the music I grew up with, I don’t obsess over what artist died when or how. I am annoyed with how baby boomers seem to think the whole world revolves around these pop culture idol’s history and I am tired of these constant media orgies over what are minor events in history.

Maybe so. But I think you sound jealous. You are on the outside looking in and you can't understand. Being a Boomer isn't always all Pop Culture Glory but it was an exclusive club and a great one to grow up in. Sorry about your generation.