Buddy Holly Remembered 60 Years Later

A sad anniversary is commemorated today in an article from Lubbock, Texas.

It was 60 years ago that Buddy Holly was killed in a plance crash in Clear Lake, Iowa during a snowstorm.

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal wrote:

In his brief, meteoric career, Buddy Holly changed the world and forever put Lubbock, Texas, not in the rear-view mirror but firmly on the radar of so many who would follow in his footsteps of innovation and inspiration. Today, Feb. 3, reminds us of what Don McLean in the iconic musical ballad “American Pie,” referred to as “the day the music died.” 

It was 60 years ago that a plane carrying Holly, J.P. Richardson (the Big Bopper), Ritchie Valens and pilot Roger Peterson crashed into an Iowa cornfield shortly after takeoff from the Mason City airport in the face of inclement weather. Holly, who was already having a significant impact on the national music scene, was only 22. It is not inconceivable that had the plane crash not cut his life short, Holly could still be with us today. 

The style and substance of Holly’s life is chronicled elsewhere in today’s edition. We’ve also taken the step of re-creating part of the front page of that day’s Lubbock Evening Journal that broke the tragic story of Holly’s death to the community. We hope you enjoy today’s package of information for its value as entertaining information and also as a nostalgic reminder of Holly’s outsized place on the landscape of Lubbock history.

To read more, go here.