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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Daniel Kalal on October 08, 2019, 06:12:46 PM

Title: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: Daniel Kalal on October 08, 2019, 06:12:46 PM
After the recent postings about rock musicians who had just died (as well as the comments about the necessity of those same posts), I thought I’d collect from various trips photos from locations related to the first dead rock star who started the introspection that seems unique to rock musicians—people searching for some larger meaning.  Buddy Holly was the first, and seems to be the benchmark to compare all future dead rock musicians.

To be clear, I took these photos, but they were taken over several trips over the years.

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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateTX.png) Texas

The Buddy Holly Center is a museum devoted to Buddy Holly (who was from Lubbock).
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo052.JPG)
 
Unfortunately, the museum did not allow photography.  There was a separate room with the guitars of Texas performers (which did allow photography).
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo040.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo041.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo042.JPG)
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo047.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo044.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo046.JPG)
 
Some noteworthy things: His career lasted only 18 months before the plane crash that killed him; he maintained legal control of his music (unlike so many of his contemporaries); he produced his own work (in a studio in nearby Clovis).
 
On display were his trademark glasses that he was wearing when the plane went down.  His Fender Stratocaster was also on display--the guitar was back on the tour bus; not with him on the plane.  Overall, I was impressed by the quality of the museum.  It was much more thorough and professional than I would have expected.
 
A documentary of Buddy Holly ran continuously in an adjacent room.
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo048.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo049.JPG)
 
I suppose in England the name “Crickets” would make as much sense as if it were “Buddy Holly and the Baseballs” in this country.  With the group (in London) are two famous (it said) cricket players.  Everybody's being a good  port with this goofy P.R. setup.

(http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo050.JPG)

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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateNM.png) New Mexico

Clovis, New Mexico is where Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison recorded their first hit records.
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip9/photo0018.JPG)

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 (http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateIA.png) Iowa
 
The Winter Dance Party at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa on February 2, 1959, starring:
Buddy Holly, with this band:
    Waylon Jennings (bass)
    Tommy Allsup (guitar)
    Carl Bunch (drums)
Ritchie Valens
J.P. Richardson
Frankie Sardo
Dion DiMucci and the Belmonts 
The ballroom is larger and better than I imagined.  Its  history encompasses the entire big-band era as well as the early rock & roll  period that it has come to be known for.

It has been restored and  resurrected and is in excellent shape. 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0027.JPG)
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0026.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0028.JPG)
Things are exactly as I can imagine they always were, from the cloakroom to the telephone booth (where Buddy made his last call to his wife).
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0030.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0032.JPG)
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0047.JPG)
 
The stage is large, but the dance floor dominates.
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0034.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0048.JPG)
 
There are tables and booths at the rear and along one side of the floor.
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0035.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0036.JPG)
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0040.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0038.JPG)
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0042.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0043.JPG)
 
The rooms at the entrance are now a museum of displays for Buddy Holly (and the others) as well as all the many performers who have played at this ballroom over the years.
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0050.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0052.JPG)
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0053.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0054.JPG)
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0029.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0057.JPG)
 
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 (http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateIA.png) Iowa

February 3, 1959
 
Just after the performance, Holly, Valens, Richardson with the pilot Roger Peterson took off in a V35 Beechcraft from the nearby Mason City  airport for a flight to Fargo, North Dakota.  They didn't get far.
 
The path to the crash site is marked by a large pair of glasses at the edge of a gravel road.  It's about a 1/4-mile dirt trail along the fence line to the point where the remains of the airplane mostly ended up.
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0014.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0015.JPG)
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0016.JPG)
 
A variety of markers and mementoes--some more permanent than others--marks the spot.
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0020.JPG)
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0022.JPG)  (http://www.dankalal.net/2019trip19/phone0023.JPG)

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(http://www.dankalal.net/images/stateTX.png) Texas

I expected to see guitar picks on his grave marker; but, there were only coins (on the marker, the spelling of “Holley” is correct.  Buddy used “Holly” after Decca records spelled it wrong on a contract).
 
(http://www.dankalal.net/2014trip3/photo053.JPG)
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: oldbike54 on October 08, 2019, 06:54:51 PM
 No fade away .

 Dusty
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: BedMac on October 08, 2019, 07:22:28 PM
In 2017 I rode my Multistrada from Los Angeles to Austin for the MotoGP.  On the way back I went through Lubbock to visit a friend.  I asked her what to do in Lubbock and she suggested seeing Buddy Holley's grave.  Had some picks on it then.  Also got a shot of his gravestone next to mom and dad's.


(https://i.ibb.co/2PBSV9T/IMG-4547.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2PBSV9T)



(https://i.ibb.co/L08yjZY/IMG-4557.jpg) (https://ibb.co/L08yjZY)
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: Daniel Kalal on October 08, 2019, 07:28:58 PM
Had some picks on it then.

Good to hear; I'm sure with that constant west-texas wind, a guitar pick on the headstone isn't going to stay there for very long.  I guess that's why people leave coins.
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: inditx on October 08, 2019, 09:33:26 PM
Nice Daniel, thanks for sharing.
There is a look alike named Zachary Stevenson who tours and does a Buddy Holly show/tribute and he is amazing.
He has cd’s out as well.
http://zacharystevenson.com

Jack aka inditx
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: frozengoose on October 08, 2019, 09:52:52 PM
When I was a kid, my older brother was a big Buddy Holly fan. I'd listen to his collection of Holly, Big Bopper, and Nervous Norvus 45's played over and over in his room. Later on when I went off to school, the guy down the hall would play Holly records, so I got to hanging out and listen to his tunes. It's been a while now, but everyday, it's a gettin' closer...
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: oldbike54 on October 08, 2019, 10:07:39 PM


                                                           Buddy Holly is alive and well on Ganymede


 Dusty
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: TobyJug on October 08, 2019, 10:22:45 PM
Thanks - I'm guessing you're a fan.

Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: Daniel Kalal on October 08, 2019, 10:52:24 PM
I'm guessing you're a fan.

Actually, it's more a case of stopping at any place that looks interesting or unusual.
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: mhershon on October 09, 2019, 09:40:07 AM
Not Fade Away - ever...
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: twtex85 on October 09, 2019, 09:54:58 AM
Nice job with documenting the places with the pics.  Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: knockerjoe on October 09, 2019, 02:33:12 PM
Thanks for sharing your Buddy Holly pics! Very interesting.
I hope to follow your footsteps in the near future to pay homage to
the day the music died.
Take a look at Dions documentary on his take and first hand knowledge of what
happened on that day:
https://youtu.be/HIxwW3NbAx4
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: pebra on October 10, 2019, 05:06:54 PM
Thanks, Daniel;
this, too, is very interesting!
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: Ncdan on October 10, 2019, 08:01:51 PM
Has anyone heard the story that Buddy and Waylon both wants to take the plane but only one of them could and the other would have to make it to the next location by car. A coin flip was made and Buddy won. Waylon was suppose to have said, in jest. “ I hope your damn plane crashes” anyone actually see the interview with Waylon when he told this account of that faithful night?
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: Daniel Kalal on October 10, 2019, 08:09:22 PM
...Buddy and Waylon...

Buddy is the one who hired the plane in the first place; he was going and probably didn't much care who filled the other two seats.  The Waylon quip concerned J.P. Richardson, not Buddy.  But, it seems that over the years several conflicting stories have been told (by the surviving participants) about coin flips.  The museum covers that as does the video referenced above with Dion (who tells his own story).
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: Two Checks on October 11, 2019, 01:41:58 PM
I did in fact see Waylon relate that story more than once.
Richardson was under the weather and Waylon offered his seat on the plane because the buses they had been using were in disrepair and the heaters didn't work. One of the guys had frostbitten toes.
Richardson told Waylon he hoped his old bus froze and Waylon said the same about the plane.


Btw the pilot was not certificated for flight in instrument conditions and had in fact failed a check ride for same.
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: Bill on October 11, 2019, 03:59:47 PM
Always interesting pictures and info. My daughter lives in Clovis and she talked the museum  owner to let my granddaughter play the piano that was used in several of the produced songs. I've seen a video of it. Thanks  for another informative post.
Bill
Title: Re: …finding Buddy Holly [mostly photos]
Post by: wolfeguitars on October 11, 2019, 06:01:25 PM
Dion is a friend & a customer of mine. I've backed him several times in the past with both drums & Guitar. He's also a fine Guitarist and actually played on all his recordings. He has 12 Gold records. Dion was scheduled to be on "that" plane. As he recalls it there were a few guys getting on board hacking, sneezing and coughing. As a singer he objected to exposing himself to all them germs & raised a stink and decided to ride the bus. Now, there's a little bit of R&R trivia for ya- straight from the source. Man, the stories he can tell. He's a great guy.