by André Depienne

Charles Hardin Holley, alias Buddy Holly died on February 3rd, 1959 during a plane crash, together with Ritchie Valens and Big Bopper. Buddy Holly would have definitely influenced the music history, but he died far too young. Don Mc Lean said in his classic song “American Pie”: “February 3, 1959 - the day the music died”. Buddy was born into a musical family as the youngest of four kids. Already at 15 he played guitar, banjo and mandolin. Together with his friend “Bob Montgomery” he founded the Duo “Buddy and Bob”. They both wrote their first songs together and recorded a few demos. In 1955, bassist “Larry Welborn” and drummer “Jerry Allison” joined the duo, and they acted as warm-up for Elvis Presley and Bill Haley. At this time young Buddy Holly was strongly influenced by Blues and Rhythm and Blues, and started mixing both sounds with country music. That’s how the typical Buddy Holly sound was born and Mr. Holly and Mont- gomery called it “Western and Bop”. Buddy Holly was inducted to the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” in the year 1986.