Source
Buddy Holly, born Charles Holley, was a performer since childhood. His official musical career began in 1965, when he was signed to Decca, but was cut short when he died 3 years later, in 1959. Though he was only around for a short time, he was a catalyst in the rock music genre - even being the innovator of the traditional rock band set up of two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer. He also started the tradition of rock artists writing and performing their own music (
The Beatles were another band that helped solidify this as a rock standard).
Buddy Holly died on February 3, 1959, a day known as "the day the music died". He had been on a winter tour and decided to rent a plane with some other musicians because of the miserable bus conditions. Unfortunately, the plane crashed, killing the pilot and three passengers - Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. You can read more about it
here.
Don McLean's album American Pie - and the song itself - are a dedication to Buddy Holly.
Several artists have
paid tribute to Buddy Holly, including
M. Ward, The Rolling Stones,
Don McClean, The Beatles, who covered
Words of Love, and John Lennon, who covered
Peggy Sue - and supposedly began wearing glasses as a
tribute to Buddy Holly. Another interesting tidbit:
Paul McCartney owns the rights to Buddy Holly's songs.
Love,
Scout
