Buddy Holly may have died in a plane crash along with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper, in the middle of Iowa in 1959, but his memory and his music lives on. Tonight patrons will have the opportunity to see his story in Emens Auditorium.
"Like a lot of people that make a big splash then die young, the memory is as important as the music, if not more important," said Jeffrey Carter, assistant professor for the school of music.
This musical will celebrate Holly's brief but spectacular career in music. His life will be recreated from the beginning of his career in the music industry to his death February 2, 1959.
Holly was born in Lubbock, Texas on September 7, 1936 as Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley, the youngest of four children. He changed his name from Holley to Holly when it was accidentally misspelled on his first recording contract in 1956.
In 1957 Holly formed the Crickets, comprised of Nicki Sullivan, Joe B. Maudin and Jerry Allison. Later that summer, the Crickets released "That'll Be The Day," under the Brunswick recording label. The song topped Billboard listings in August and stayed there for 23 weeks.
"He combined revolutionary melodic and harmonic tunes that were completely different for that time," said Holly enthusiast senior Brian Paulsen. "Before that time it was all three-chord rock."
Holly's work in the music industry inspired several artist, including James Taylor, who used his song "Everyday."
"I wonder, if he was still around today what else he would have done with music," Paulsen said. Paulsen is also the company manager and staff arranger for University Singers.
Answering his own question, Paulsen said that he thinks because of his revolutionary style, music would have advanced quicker than it already did. Paulsen also said that the Beatles' early work my have been influenced by Holly using different chord structures.
Even after the plane crash that killed Holly, Valens and The Big Bopper, Holly's singles continued to climb the charts ten years after his death.
Twelve years after his death, Don McLean wrote the song "American Pie" as a tribute to Buddy Holly. One of the song's famous quotes refers to Holly's death, "the day the music died."
"The underlying theme is that because of the plane crash, that was the day the music died," Paulsen said. "He constantly readdresses the issue without specifically saying it."
Holly's big hits include "That'll Be the Day," "Peggy Sue," "Oh Boy," and "Everyday."
Paulsen said sometimes it is easier to listen to Buddy Holly because his music is not as complicated and busy with many of today's music rhythms.
"I would pick Buddy Holly over the stuff on the contemporary radio stations most of the time," Paulsen said.
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