The Day The Music Died
One of the advantages to publishing an ebook (in this case a kindle ebook on Amazon) is that the author can add content and text pretty much whenever he chooses. This is the cover for the new kindle edition of The Day the Music Died. The original print version was released in 2010. The Day the Music Died: Updated contains four new chapters and lots of new pictures. It was released on December 24, 2013.
The book made the top five for non fiction on the Winnipeg Bestsellers list in September, 2010. IT was a hoot to be on the same list as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as well as celebrated physicist Stephen Hawking.
At a book signing for The Day The Music Died in 2011.
Here is the introduction to the book and the chapters on Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper and Jimi Hendrix.
Introduction
Music has the ability to stir our emotions. It can make us laugh: it can make us cry. Many of us associate songs with memories. A golden oldie might remind us of an old flame. Certain songs will take us back to a different time - a different place. Unfortunately, the same can be said when one of our favorites passes away. Many of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963. Same thing with the murders of RFK and MLK or Princess Diana in that auto accident back in 1997. It's the same with our favorite entertainers. Being a huge Beatles fan, I will never forget the night of December 8, 1980 and hearing about the murder of John Lennon from Howard Cosell during a Patriots/Dolphins Monday night football game. On August 16, 1977 I was in my Dad's car with both my mom and dad when we heard the news that Elvis was gone. I'm sure I'll never forget sitting in the little Tropicana sportsbook in Las Vegas with my son Tristan on June 25, 2009 and hearing the stunning news of Michael Jackson's sudden death.
In this book I've tried to highlight some of the lives and deaths that have occurred in the music industry throughout the years. While some of our favorites may have lost their way during their lifetimes, we must remember that there is one thing that the passage of time cannot erase...and that, my friends, is the music!
Les MacDonald
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
May 27,2010
Here is a slimmed down Table of Contents to give you an idea of who is covered in the book. Check to see if any of your old favorites are listed.
Part I: 1791 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Part II: 1959 - Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper
Part III 1960-1969 - Jesse Belvin, Eddie Cochran, Stuart Sutcliffe, Patsy Cline, Sam Cooke, Bobby Fuller, Brian Epstein, Otis Redding, Frankie Lymon, Malcolm Hale, Martin Lamble, Brian Jones
Part IV 1970-1979 - Alan Wilson, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, King Curtis, Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Les Harvey, Brian Cole, Rory Storm, Billy Murcia, Clarence White, Paul Williams, Gram Parsons, Jim Croce, Maury Muehleisen, John Rostill, Bobby Darin, Mama Cass Elliot, Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Al Jackson Jr, Gary Thain, Florence Ballard, Paul Kossoff, Tommy Bolin, Elvis Presley, Marc Bolan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Terry Kath, Sandy Denny, Keith Moon, Donny Hathaway, Sid Vicious, Jimmy McCulloch
Part V 1980-1989 - Bon Scott, Ian Curtis, John Bonham, Darby Crash, John Lennon, George Harrison, Bob Marley, Pete Tosh, Harry Chapin, Randy Rhoads, Karen Carpenter, James Honeyman Scott, Pete Farndon, Felix Pappalardi, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Ricky Nelson, Lenny Breau, Cliff Burton, Gary Driscoll, Roy Orbison, Vincent Crane, Pete de Freitas, Jake Brockman
Part VI 1990-1999 - Del Shannon, Cornelius Gunter, Andrew Wood, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Clark, Steve Marriott, Freddie Mercury, Mia Zapata, Frank Zappa, Michael Clarke, Harry Nilsson, Kurt Cobain, Selena, Jerry Garcia, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Keith Godchaux, Brent Mydland, Vince Welnick, Shannon Hoon, Brad Nowell, Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G. John Denver, Michael Hutchence, Falco, Cozy Powell
Part VII 2000-2009 - Kirsty MacColl, Layne Staley, Joey Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Robbin Crosby, John Entwistle, Howie Epstein, Robert Palmer, Dimebag Darrell Abbot, Paul Hester, Bryan Harvey, Brad Delp, Jeff Healey, Gidget Gein, Michael Jackson
Part VIII- the 27 Club and the Monterey Pop Festival: Curse or Coincidence?
Four new chapters and many new pictures have been added. The new chapters include Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, Ronnie James Dio and country singer Mindy McCready.
Music has the ability to stir our emotions. It can make us laugh: it can make us cry. Many of us associate songs with memories. A golden oldie might remind us of an old flame. Certain songs will take us back to a different time - a different place. Unfortunately, the same can be said when one of our favorites passes away. Many of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963. Same thing with the murders of RFK and MLK or Princess Diana in that auto accident back in 1997. It's the same with our favorite entertainers. Being a huge Beatles fan, I will never forget the night of December 8, 1980 and hearing about the murder of John Lennon from Howard Cosell during a Patriots/Dolphins Monday night football game. On August 16, 1977 I was in my Dad's car with both my mom and dad when we heard the news that Elvis was gone. I'm sure I'll never forget sitting in the little Tropicana sportsbook in Las Vegas with my son Tristan on June 25, 2009 and hearing the stunning news of Michael Jackson's sudden death.
In this book I've tried to highlight some of the lives and deaths that have occurred in the music industry throughout the years. While some of our favorites may have lost their way during their lifetimes, we must remember that there is one thing that the passage of time cannot erase...and that, my friends, is the music!
Les MacDonald
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
May 27,2010
Here is a slimmed down Table of Contents to give you an idea of who is covered in the book. Check to see if any of your old favorites are listed.
Part I: 1791 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Part II: 1959 - Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper
Part III 1960-1969 - Jesse Belvin, Eddie Cochran, Stuart Sutcliffe, Patsy Cline, Sam Cooke, Bobby Fuller, Brian Epstein, Otis Redding, Frankie Lymon, Malcolm Hale, Martin Lamble, Brian Jones
Part IV 1970-1979 - Alan Wilson, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, King Curtis, Duane Allman, Berry Oakley, Les Harvey, Brian Cole, Rory Storm, Billy Murcia, Clarence White, Paul Williams, Gram Parsons, Jim Croce, Maury Muehleisen, John Rostill, Bobby Darin, Mama Cass Elliot, Pete Ham, Tom Evans, Al Jackson Jr, Gary Thain, Florence Ballard, Paul Kossoff, Tommy Bolin, Elvis Presley, Marc Bolan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Terry Kath, Sandy Denny, Keith Moon, Donny Hathaway, Sid Vicious, Jimmy McCulloch
Part V 1980-1989 - Bon Scott, Ian Curtis, John Bonham, Darby Crash, John Lennon, George Harrison, Bob Marley, Pete Tosh, Harry Chapin, Randy Rhoads, Karen Carpenter, James Honeyman Scott, Pete Farndon, Felix Pappalardi, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Marvin Gaye, Ricky Nelson, Lenny Breau, Cliff Burton, Gary Driscoll, Roy Orbison, Vincent Crane, Pete de Freitas, Jake Brockman
Part VI 1990-1999 - Del Shannon, Cornelius Gunter, Andrew Wood, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Clark, Steve Marriott, Freddie Mercury, Mia Zapata, Frank Zappa, Michael Clarke, Harry Nilsson, Kurt Cobain, Selena, Jerry Garcia, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Keith Godchaux, Brent Mydland, Vince Welnick, Shannon Hoon, Brad Nowell, Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G. John Denver, Michael Hutchence, Falco, Cozy Powell
Part VII 2000-2009 - Kirsty MacColl, Layne Staley, Joey Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Robbin Crosby, John Entwistle, Howie Epstein, Robert Palmer, Dimebag Darrell Abbot, Paul Hester, Bryan Harvey, Brad Delp, Jeff Healey, Gidget Gein, Michael Jackson
Part VIII- the 27 Club and the Monterey Pop Festival: Curse or Coincidence?
Four new chapters and many new pictures have been added. The new chapters include Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, Ronnie James Dio and country singer Mindy McCready.
The phrase The Day the Music Died was forever immortalized in Don McLean's 1972 hit American Pie. It more often than not refers to the day in 1959 that rock and roll lost three of it's brightest young stars. Here is the complete chapter as it appears in the book. I hope you enjoy.
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper
The Day the Music Died - February 3, 1959
Buddy Holly
Buddy was born as Charles Hardin Holley on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas. Very early in life, Buddy (as he was called by his family) learned how to play the piano and the guitar. In his teens, he teamed up with pal Bob Montgomery, singing duets at clubs and schools.
The early 1950's saw a bit of a lull in the music business. Even the singing career of former teen idol Frank Sinatra had slowed down as fads and styles were changing. By the mid 1950's the music industry needed a boost and that boost was provided with the arrival of Elvis Presley. Elvis brought energy and excitement to the music scene. None of this was lost on Buddy who, up till then, had played mostly bluegrass and a little rockabilly. The future King of Rock and Roll played three shows in Buddy's hometown - one on January 6 and two on February 13, 1955. It is said that Buddy was in the audience for at least one of these shows and that the concert had a profound influence on him and the path that his career would take. After seeing Elvis, Buddy turned his attention to rock and roll. When Elvis once again came to Lubbock on October 15, 1955, it was Buddy Holly who opened the show. Based on this live appearance, Buddy was signed to a contract by Decca Records. Decca misspelled Holley as Holly on the contract, and Charles Hardin Holley was reborn as Buddy Holly.
Success came fast, and just seven months after signing the contract, Buddy had a hit single on his hands with That'll be the Day. A second album was released in February, 1958 which spawned two more singles, Peggy Sue and Oh Boy. In June of the same year, Buddy met Maria Santiago and it was love at first sight. In fact, it was on their first date that Buddy actually proposed. Just two months after that first date, the pair were married. The sky was the limit for Buddy Holly when he was signed to go on tour as part of the Winter Dance Party in January, 1959.
Ritchie Valens
Richard Steven Valenzuela was born in Los Angeles on May 13, 1941. Like Buddy Holly, Ritchie was making music at a very early age. By his early teens Ritchie was already proficient on guitar, trumpet and drums. He joined a local LA band known as the Silhouettes in October, 1957. Ritchie was only sixteen years old and already there was a buzz about the young musician. By May of 1958 that buzz had reached the ears of Bob Keane who was the owner of a Hollywood record company known as Del-Fi Records. Ritchie was invited to Keane's home for an audition and, based on that audition, he was signed to a contract. Also, like Buddy Holly a name change was in order and Richard Valenzuela became Ritchie Valens. Ritchie had some modest success with a couple of singles but then came a double A-side single featuring Donna and La Bamba. They both received a lot of airplay and became huge hits for Ritchie. No one would have ever guessed at the time that they would be his last.
By mid 1958 Ritchie had left high school to go on tour. He appeared several times on Dick Clark's American Bandstand and also shared the stage in Hawaii with Buddy Holly and Paul Anka. It looked like Ritchie Valens was a lock for stardom when, in January 1959, he was signed to do the Winter Dance Party.
The Big Bopper
Jiles Perry Richardson Jr. was born on October 24, 1930 and spent most of his life in Beaumont, Texas. He worked part time as a DJ at a local radio station while going to college but gave up on school when the station offered him a full time gig. In 1955 Uncle Sam came calling, and JP or Jape as his friends called him, answered the call. He spent the next two years as a radar instructor at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Once out of the army JP returned to radio. His bigger than life personality played well on the radio and he was quickly promoted from DJ to supervisor and from there became the station's program director. Kids at the time were doing a new dance called the Bop, so JP decided to adopt the moniker and became known as the Big Bopper. The Big Bopper wrote songs for the likes of Johnny Preston and country star George Jones. In 1958, he was signed to a contract by Mercury Records and, in the summer of that year, recorded Chantilly Lace which would become his biggest hit. In order to capitalize on the success of Chantilly Lace, JP took a leave of absence from the radio station to go on tour. He was promptly signed to join the Winter Dance Party.
The Winter Dance Party
The Winter Dance Party was a rock and roll tour that crisscrossed the midwestern United States for twenty-four shows in twenty-four nights. The tour included some of rock and roll's most popular acts of that time. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper along with Dion and the Belmonts and several others were all signed to appear.
The singers all traveled on a tour bus that constantly broke down. Most of the time the heaters weren't working and a few of the musicians caught bad colds and/or the flu. In the worst cases, there were even a few who had minor frostbite. This was the state of affairs when the Winter Dance Party hit Clear Lake, Iowa for the eleventh show of the tour. By this time, Buddy Holly had seen enough. He decided to charter a plane (a single engine, four passenger Beechcraft Bonanza) to fly them to Fargo, North Dakota, which was right next door to Moorhead, Minnesota, the next stop on the tour. Waylon Jennings, who played with Buddy Holly and would go on to be a country music star, was to be on the plane with Holly, Ritchie Valens and the pilot, Roger Peterson. This is where fate would intervene. The Big Bopper had a terrible cold combined with the flu and couldn't face another night on the frozen bus. He begged Jennings for his seat on the plane and Waylon graciously gave up his seat to the Big Bopper. Tommy Allsup and Ritchie Valens ended up tossing a coin to see who would fly on the plane. Valens "won" the toss and took his seat on the plane. Old friends Waylon Jennings shared a quick exchange before each one boarded their modes of transportation. Buddy told Jennings that he hoped the old bus broke down while Jennings told Buddy that he hoped his damn plane crashed. Even though they were joking, it's something that Jennings felt guilty about for the rest of his life.
At approximately 1am on the morning of February 3, 1959, the plane took off into a raging snowstorm. The pilot, Roger Peterson, was only twenty years old, inexperienced and should not have been flying that night, especially into the teeth of a storm. When the plane hadn't reached Fargo by 3:30am, a search was organized. Jerry Dwyer, the owner of Dwyer Flying Services, who Buddy had chartered the plane from, found the plane in a cornfield not even five miles from the airport. Buddy, Ritchie and JP had all been thrown from the crash while the pilot had been pinned inside. All were killed instantly. Rock and Roll had suffered it's first casualties.
The Buddy Holly story was made in 1978 with Gary Busey playing the title roll. Busey was nominated for Best Actor for his portayal of the singer. The movie did pick up an Oscar for Best Musical Score. Lou Diamond Phillips played Ritchie Valens in 1987's La Bamba. That film was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture. February 3, 1959 was immortalized as the day the music died in Don McLean's 1972 hit American Pie.
For many years, there had been rumors about what occurred on board the plane that night. Buddy was supposed to have owned a handgun and there were whispers of gunplay on board. In 2007, Jay Richardson, the Big Bopper's son, decided to have his father's remains exhumed to determine the cause of death. When the casket was opened, a remarkably well preserved JP Richardson lay there with his trademark 1950's style haircut. Forty-eight years after the crash an autopsy was performed. The Big Bopper had suffered massive fractures from head to toe and there was absolutely no evidence of foul play.
Ironically, the original Winter Dance Party had one open date. That date was February 2. Instead of leaving that date open, the promoters offered it to the owners of the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, who quickly accepted. One can only wonder what might have been if that date had remained open.
Buddy Holly is buried in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas. Ritchie Valens is buried at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Los Angeles. The Big Bopper, JP Richardson, is buried at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in his hometown of Beaumont, Texas.
Jimi Hendrix
The Day the Music Died - September 18, 1970
Johnny Allen Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942 in Seattle, Washington. His mother was only seventeen at the time and his father worked at an army base in Oklahoma during the war. It was a rough childhood for young Jimi. His mother left him with friends while she went off on drinking binges. His father claimed custody and changed Johnny's name to James. His parents were divorced in 1952 when Jimi was nine years old. He was sent to Vancouver, British Columbia to live with his grandmother for awhile.
During his teens Jimi fell in love with the new rock and roll music. His father had found an old ukelele in a garage and Jimi taught himself how to play. Not long after that he was given an acoustic guitar which he played and practiced on constantly. Like Buddy Holly before him, Jimi was influenced greatly when he saw Elvis perform live. In 1961, Jim enlisted in the navy and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The future superstar was not what one could call a good soldier. By all accounts he slept on duty, broke curfew and was just generally lazy. He was discharged a year later and headed to New York City. In 1964 Jimi won first prize in an amateur contest at the famed Apollo Theater. On the strength of that contest win, he was signed up to play with the Isley Brothers on their tour. Not long after this he met Little Richard who he idolized. The problem was that the old Jimi was still around and Little Richard, like Uncle Sam, did not tolerate tardiness. When Jimi did not show up on time to catch the tour bus he was quickly canned...but when you are talented, you will find work. He went back to the Isley Brothers tour and played on their single, Move Over and Dance.
In 1966, Jimi would record with King Curtis as well as form his own band, the Blue Flames. Doors really began opening for Hendrix when he met Linda Keith who happened to be a friend of Keith Richards. They sent Jimi to Chas Chandler who was a former bass player for Eric Burdon and the Animals. Chandler introduced Jimi to people like Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend. He even took to the stage during a Cream concert, putting two of the world's greatest guitarists of all time on the same stage. Soon after this, he was signed to The Who's record label, Track Records. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was now born and an album, Are you Experienced, was released. To support the album Hendrix toured Europe. It was on this tour that Jimi first set his guitar on fire onstage. While Jimi was getting bigger in Europe, he was still looking for a breakthrough in the US. That break came when Paul McCartney suggested him to the promoters of the Monterey Pop Festival. In 1967, when Paul McCartney suggested something, most people tended to go along with it. Much was made of Jimi's guitar burning performance at Monterey and there was no price you could put on that kind of publicity.
During his teens Jimi fell in love with the new rock and roll music. His father had found an old ukelele in a garage and Jimi taught himself how to play. Not long after that he was given an acoustic guitar which he played and practiced on constantly. Like Buddy Holly before him, Jimi was influenced greatly when he saw Elvis perform live. In 1961, Jim enlisted in the navy and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The future superstar was not what one could call a good soldier. By all accounts he slept on duty, broke curfew and was just generally lazy. He was discharged a year later and headed to New York City. In 1964 Jimi won first prize in an amateur contest at the famed Apollo Theater. On the strength of that contest win, he was signed up to play with the Isley Brothers on their tour. Not long after this he met Little Richard who he idolized. The problem was that the old Jimi was still around and Little Richard, like Uncle Sam, did not tolerate tardiness. When Jimi did not show up on time to catch the tour bus he was quickly canned...but when you are talented, you will find work. He went back to the Isley Brothers tour and played on their single, Move Over and Dance.
In 1966, Jimi would record with King Curtis as well as form his own band, the Blue Flames. Doors really began opening for Hendrix when he met Linda Keith who happened to be a friend of Keith Richards. They sent Jimi to Chas Chandler who was a former bass player for Eric Burdon and the Animals. Chandler introduced Jimi to people like Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend. He even took to the stage during a Cream concert, putting two of the world's greatest guitarists of all time on the same stage. Soon after this, he was signed to The Who's record label, Track Records. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was now born and an album, Are you Experienced, was released. To support the album Hendrix toured Europe. It was on this tour that Jimi first set his guitar on fire onstage. While Jimi was getting bigger in Europe, he was still looking for a breakthrough in the US. That break came when Paul McCartney suggested him to the promoters of the Monterey Pop Festival. In 1967, when Paul McCartney suggested something, most people tended to go along with it. Much was made of Jimi's guitar burning performance at Monterey and there was no price you could put on that kind of publicity.