"A long, long time ago, I can still remember how that music used to make me smile."

[mahatmakanejeeves]

It's hard to believe, but this was not in the "On this day..." tab on Wikipedia's main page.

The Day the Music Died

On February 3, 1959, rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, together with pilot Roger Peterson. The event later became known as "The Day the Music Died", after singer-songwriter Don McLean so referred to it in his 1971 song "American Pie".

[mackerel]

1. I still remember every word...

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Me, too, though it's a very long song...

I remember once it was playing on the car radio and I stayed in the car, leaving it running, to listen all the way to the end of the song. When all of a sudden I realized that I'd automatically closed the garage door!

[Coventina]

3. My favorite version:

[Coventina]

4. My favorite parody:

[ailsagirl]

5. Buddy Holly-- still missed

[red dog 1]

6. K&R

Speaking of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens & The Big Bopper, in 1958, Alan Freed had a rock & roll concert show that toured all over the US

On the tour were:

Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, Danny & The juniors, LaVern Baker, Chuck Berry, The Diamonds, The Crystals, The Chantels, Frankie Lymon, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Bobettes, The Ronettes, Eddie Cochran, Bill Haley & The Comets, The Everly Brothers, The Coasters, The Drifters, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Clyde McPhatter, Jackie Wilson, Buddy Knox & The Rhythm Orchids, Bobby Darin, The Del-Vikings, Dion & The Belmonts, Paul Anka, Jimmie Rogers, & more.

My uncle saw the show when it came to San Francisco's Civic Auditorium.

He said there were so many bands that each band only got about 6 or 7 minutes to play.

My uncle gave me the concert program, (which he had saved from the '50s), as a present for my 13th birthday, and it became one of my most prized possessions.


More about Alan Freed's Rock & Roll tours
http://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/rock-and-roll-tours

[WinkyDink]

7. Holy Moly!! Of that list, I've seen JLL, the Drifters, and solo Dion. All great!

[red dog 1]

8. A great movie about Alan Freed is "Mr Rock & Roll:The Alan Freed Story"

The script and the acting is superb!

It's a "feel good" movie, especially if you love the oldies like I do.

[WinkyDink]

9. Trust me; I've seen it! ;-) I'm old enough to REMEMBER Alan Freed and the payola scandal!

[elleng]

10. :-( :-)