Young Singer Is Lubbock’s ‘Answer To Elvis Presley’
Buddy Holly ‘Packs ‘Em In’
By: Mary Lou Fairbairns
Lubbock now has its own ‘answer to Elvis Presley’. He is Buddy Holly, 20-year-old graduate of Lubbock High School, who recently signed a five-year contract with Decca Recording Co. and who is ‘packing them in’ on weekends at the American Legion Youth Center.
Holly, who has a three piece orchestra just like Presley’s, has reverted to playing and singing rock ‘n’ roll exclusively. He plays an electric standard guitar and wears ‘fancy’ sports coats for his singing engagements, but the resemblance to the widely known entertainer ends there. Holly refuses to wear one of the bright sports coats on the street, even for publicity.
Holly had two numbers released by Decca in May [sic] – *Blue Days And Black Nights’ and ‘Love Me’ -and by the end of June 19,000 copies of the record had been sold. He was given a good mention of the first release in ‘Billboard Magazine’.
The young Lubbock singer proved his versatility when he co-authored one of the first songs he recorded. He and Sue Parrish, a former Lubbock girl who now lives on the West Coast, wrote ‘Love Me’. The other side of the record was written by Ben Hall, former Lubbock man now in Big Spring.
The record was made at Decca’s recording headquarters in Nashville, Tenn., and Holly is to go there for another recording session in about two weeks.
Accompanying him for the first records were Don Guess, 19, bass player, and Jerry Allison, 17, drummer, both Lubbock High graduates, Sonny Curtis of Lubbock and Grady Martin of Nashville. Guess and Allison together with Holly playing the guitar, make up Holly’s orchestra. Holly does not accompany himself as he sings for recording sessions, however.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. L. 0. Holly [sic], Rt. 5, he modestly says he also plays the banjo, mandolin, and piano a little’. He says he began playing music at about age 13, and began professionally as a musician at 17. He has had his own band two years.
However, his father says Buddy has been playing ‘all his life’ and is quite proud of a violin prize he won at age 5 and a first place he won in the annual Westerner Round-Up at Lubbock high.
His mother says he began violin lessons at age 6, and also had lessons on the piano and Hawaiian steel guitar. He sang first tenor in the senior a cappella choir at Lubbock High School, but says his voice has changed since then.
His first interest in music came from his older brothers, Larry and Travis, who played several instruments a few years ago. He now spends his spare time working with them in the Lubbock Ceramic Tile business they operate.
Versatile in fields other than music, Holly says his second love after music is water skiing. He also likes motorcycle riding, reading, and doing leatherwork.
He is becoming busier with his music, however, and his recording contract calls for new releases each of the next four years.
A booking agent has kept Holly and his orchestra fairly busy with one-night stands, about 200 miles apart. While he has presented stage performances mostly, Holly takes a special interest in playing for the American Legion Youth Center, 2nd St. and College Ave., which had an attendance last Saturday of about 350 and is increasing attendance weekly. He also has toured with Grand Ole Opry shows.
