The Day The Music Died… 51 Years Ago Today
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa, 51 years ago today. It was 1959 and the 3 artists chose to charter a plane, rather than ride their tour bus through brutal winter weather. Waylon Jennings lost his seat on the plane to the Big Bopper in a coin toss. The twist of fate seemed to haunt him his entire life.
Who knows how the tragedy affected the face of Rock N’ Roll music? Holly and Valens were prodigious talents who most likely would have continued making ground breaking music for decades to come.
The day was later called The Day the Music Died by Don McLean, in his song “American Pie.” You can listen to it here: