When music 'lived!'

“I’m not trying to stump anybody … it’s the beauty of the language I’m interested in.” – Buddy Holly

Much has been made of “the day the music died,” Buddy Holly’s death in an Iowa cornfield when the plane carrying him, J.P. Richardson (the Big Bopper) and Richie Valens crashed on Feb. 3,  1959.  His was a life and brilliant writing/singing career ended at just age 22.  

 

Born on this date in 1936 to a musical family from Lubbock, TX, Holly often is held up as the iconic figure of the musical exuberance of the 1950s' Rock-and-Roll boom years that also, of course, produced American superstars Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.

  

During his short career, Holly wrote, recorded and produced most of his own material as well as dozens of songs recorded by others.  He is often regarded as the act that defined the traditional Rock-and-Roll lineup of two guitars, bass and drums, and a major influence on later popular bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Elton John.

In 1986, he was in the first “class” inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.   Rolling Stone magazine ranks him number thirteen on its list of "100 All-time Greatest Artists" and Encyclopædia Britannica states that Holly "produced some of the most distinctive and influential work in rock music’s history.”  AllMusic defines him as "the single most influential creative force in early rock & roll."  Born this day and the music (and his writing) still lives.

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