The Day The Music Died…

In Don McLean’s 1971’s “American Pie,” he refers to the day Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “the Big Bopper” Richardson died in an airplane crash as the day the music died. It was February 3, 1959. Buddy Holly was McLean’s idol.

Buddy Holly was famous for “That’ll Be the Day” and “Peggy Sue.” Although his career lasted but a year and a half, Buddy Holly’s music did not die with him. He had recorded so much that his record label was able to release new Buddy Holly music for 10 years after his death. Seventeen-year-old Ritchie Valens scored with “Donna” and “La Bamba,” one of the very first Latin rock songs. And the Big Bopper was famous for “Chantilly Lace.” The small plane transporting them from Clear Lake, IA to the next stop on their tour went down in a snowstorm right outside of the airport.

For the meaning of the legendary song’s lyrics click here.

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