February 3 is The Day The Music Died

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Our title for this one is a little different than our usual “Celebrate …” titles. Because we don’t really want to celebrate the day itself. It’s actually a sad, tragic day, dubbed The Day The Music Died in Don McClean’s song American Pie.

It’s the day three rising stars were snuffed out in an instant.

And although it’s been more than 50 years, we can’t help but feel sad for what might have been.

If you don’t already know, we’re talking about February 3, 1959. That day a small plane crashed, killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson), along with their pilot Roger Peterson.

But two of them weren’t even supposed to be on the plane!

The three were at the beginning of a 3-week tour called the “Winter Dance Party” tour, playing 24 Midwestern cities.

Buddy Holly and his band mates, Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup and Carl Bunch, were the main attraction. Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper were along to promote their own careers.

But their tour bus had heating problems. Carl Bunch got frostbite so bad he was hospitalized.

The tour continued without him, but eventually Buddy Holly chartered a plane for himself and his remaining two band mates. But Waylon Jennings gave up his seat to the Big Bopper, who had the flu. Richie Valens “won” a coin toss with Tommy Allsup to get the remaining seat.

Apparently Jennings was haunted for years over an exchange that he had with Buddy Holly that night. When Holly found out Jennings would be taking the bus, he said “I hope your ol’ bus freezes up.” Jennings replied “I hope your ol’ plane crashes.”

It’s the kind of things friends say without thinking (or meaning it, obviously). But then it really happened.

The trio took off from Mason City, Iowa heading for Fargo, North Dakota. They only got as far as a field about six miles from the airport.

The official cause of the accident was a deadly combination of poor weather conditions and pilot error.

Commemorating the tragedy in song

You’ve probably heard Don McClean’s American Pie. It’s the most famous song to memorialize this event.

But Three Stars, by Tommy Dee was the first. The “three stars” represent the three musicians. It was released on April 5, 1959.

 

Eddie Cochran soon recorded a version of the song too (not released until 1966), just a little more than a year before he himself died in a car crash in 1960.

Incidentally, in case you’ve heard the story that the plane that crashed was named American Pie, it wasn’t. It didn’t have a name.

 

Learn More About The Day The Music Died

Read more about the artists and their final day here. You’ll also find links to the coroner’s report of the crash, the description of Buddy Holly’s injuries from his death certificate and more.

Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this unofficial holiday.

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Commemorating The Day The Music Died

Whether or not you’re a fan of the musical style of these three artists, recognize that three talented lives ended much too soon.

If you’re near Green Bay, Wisconsin, consider visiting the monument to the stars outside the Riverside Ballroom there. The tour had played there February 1, 1959.

If you’re not familiar with their music, give it a listen. You might be surprised.

Try on Buddy Holly’s That’ll Be The Day (with his previous band, The Crickets, on Ed Sullivan):

 

The Big Bopper’s Chantilly Lace, performed on the Dick Clark show in 1958

 

Ritchie Valens singing La Bamba

 

Or listen to Eddie Cochran’s beautiful version of Three Stars. You can hear his voice cracking as he sings.

 

And, of course, Don McClean’s American Pie

 

 

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