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February 3, 1959: The Day The Music Died
By Administrator | February 3, 2009
A little after 1:00 AM on February 3, 1959, a small charter plane took off from Clear Lake, Iowa, bound for Fargo, ND.
The single engine Beechcraft Bonanza plane took off in a snowstorm. It was windy. Visibility was poor. The ground below was already blanketed in white. Shortly after takeoff, the plane crashed.
Over the years, speculation has abounded as to the reasons for the crash. Pilot inexperience. Wind shear. Something more nefarious? Whatever the cause, pilot Roger Peterson flew the plane into the ground. A wing hit the earth and the small plane corkscrewed over and over. The three passengers were thrown clear of the plane, leaving only the pilot inside when the plane finally, fatally came to rest. All were dead.
In addition to the pilot, young rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson passed away in the crash. They were three of Rock’n'Roll’s most promising performers, and all were gone. As Don McLean wrote in his classic music parable, American Pie, February 3, 1959 became known as “the day the music died”.
Don McLean performs “American Pie” live, in concert.
Performing in concert was very profitable for rockers. All three singers needed the money. “The Winter Dance Party Tour” was planned to cover 24 cities in a short three-week period (January 23rd through February 15th). Holly (and his band, The Crickets) was the headliner, but Valens and the “Big Bopper” had big hits that made them huge crowd favorites. Richard Valenzuela had recorded three BIG hits in less than a year (”Come On, Let’s Go”, “Donna”, and “La Bamba”)… Jiles P. Richardson was a Texas DJ who found fame with the song Chantilly Lace.
Dion and the Belmonts were on tour, as well. Waylon Jennings (a friend of Holly’s from Lubbock, TX) and Tommy Allsup were on the trip as backup musicians.
The tour bus developed heating problems. It was so cold onboard that one of the drummers reportedly developed frostbite while riding in it. When they arrived at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, they were cold and tired… and disgusted.
Charles Hardin “Buddy” Holley (changed to “Holly” due to a misspelling on a recording contract) had had enough of the unheated bus. He chartered a plane for himself and his guys (Jennings and Allsup) and after a wildly successful concert, he boarded the charter plane operated by Dwyer Flying Service. He paid $36 per person for the flight.
Allsup and Valens flipped a coin for one of the other seats… Valens won the coin flip.
Jennings gave up his seat to Richardson, a large man who had trouble fitting comfortably into the seats on the cramped bus. He was running a fever and Jennings wanted him to be able to get to Fargo and get some rest.
It is said that when Holly learned Jennings wasn’t going to fly, he said: “Well, I hope your old bus freezes up”… to which Jennings reportedly responded: “Yeah, well I hope your plane crashes”. It was friendly banter that would haunt Jennings for years.
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