Sharing the beauty of the language

 “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,” Charles Hardin "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 brilliant writing/singing career ended at just age 22.  

 

Born on this date in 1936 to a musical family from Lubbock, TX, Holly is often 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 13th 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.” 

 

"Death," Holly said, "is very often referred to as a good career move."  In his case it snuffed out a brilliant career still in its infancy.