Buddy Holly
Rock Singer
Charles Hardin Holley, known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his siblings.
About
Charles Hardin Holley, better known as Buddy Holly, was born on September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas. His family was of English and Cherokee descent. He had two older brothers, Larry and Travis. His father worked as a carpenter and his mother taught him to play the guitar at an early age. In high school, he formed a band with some friends called The Three Tunes.
Holly began his career in music at the age of 16 when he sent recordings of himself singing to Decca Records, who rejected him after a few months of deliberation. He then went on to record for other labels such as Brunswick Records and Coral Records before signing with producer Norman Petty in 1955. With Petty as his manager, he released songs that gained international fame such as “That’ll Be the Day”, “Oh Boy!” and “Peggy Sue”. He was also one of the first artists to experiment with multi-tracking recording techniques which later became popular among rock musicians.
In 1958, Holly joined the Winter Dance Party tour alongside Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. On February 3rd of that year, their plane crashed in Iowa killing all three of them plus the pilot on board. After his death, Holly's influence on popular music continued to grow with many famous artists citing him as an inspiration including The Beatles and Bob Dylan. In 1986 he was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame alongside Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard among others.
Life Timeline
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1936</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Charles Hardin Holley is Born</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On September 7, 1936, Charles Hardin Holley was born in Lubbock, Texas. He was later nicknamed “Buddy” by his friends.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1953</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Starts Playing Guitar</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Holley starts playing the guitar and forms a band with local musicians.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1955</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Records "That'll Be the Day" </h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Recorded the single "That'll Be the Day" with The Crickets at Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">Sept 1957</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Releases First Album </h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Releases first album "The Chirping Crickets" which features the hit song "Oh Boy!”.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">Feb 1959</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Performs Final Concert</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Performs his final concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">Feb 3, 1959</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Dies in Plane Crash</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Buddy Holly dies in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa along with fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson.</p></div>
<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1972</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Holly is posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the first group of artists to be inducted.</p></div>
Why We Love Them
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">A.</span> He's a Pioneering Artist</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Buddy Holly was a pioneering artist. His unique sound and style of music influenced countless other artists and helped to shape the genre of rock 'n' roll. He was also an early adopter of technology, using multi-track recording in the studio to create his signature sound.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">B.</span> He was Innovative</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Buddy Holly was an innovative musician. He wrote and recorded songs in different styles, from country to jazz to pop. He also experimented with instrumentation, including playing electric guitars and using steel guitars in his music.</p></div>
<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">C.</span> He had a Great Stage Presence</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Buddy Holly had a great stage presence that made him stand out from other performers. He moved around the stage energetically and interacted with the audience, making them feel like he was performing just for them.</p></div>
Interesting Facts
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> First to Mix Country and R&B</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Buddy Holly was the first to mix country and R&B music together, which paved the way for rock and roll.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> Recorded His First Demo at 15</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">At just 15 years old, Buddy Holly recorded his first demo at a local radio station in Lubbock, Texas.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> Inducted into 3 Halls of Fame</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Buddy Holly is inducted into three music halls of fame - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The Country Music Hall of Fame, and The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Wrote Over 100 Songs</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Buddy Holly wrote over 100 songs during his short career, including hits like "That'll Be The Day" and "Peggy Sue".</p></div>
<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">5.</span> His Last Performance was the Day Before His Death</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">On February 2nd, 1959, Buddy Holly gave his last performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. The next day he died in a plane crash that also claimed the lives of J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) and Ritchie Valens.</p></div>
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