Wednesday, February 23, 2000:

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From Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Morning Edition
Wednesday, February 4, 1959
Section 1, Page 9

Had Been Hit On Three Continents
Death Cuts Short Meteoric Career For Lubbock Youth

By Jack Sheridan
Avalanche Staff Writer

Death which struck in a snowy winter's night in Iowa early Tuesday brought to an abrupt end the life of a 22-year-old Lubbock singing star and ended a meteoric career which had brought him cheers on three continents.

With the tragedy went the dreams of a young man who was in a hurry to reach his goal, and gave every indication of doing so.

Started Career Here
Buddy Holly started his musical career at Tom S. Lubbock High School, where he was a member of the A Cappella Choir for three years. It was during his school days that he and Larry Wilburn and Bobby Burgess got together to form a singing and instrumental trio, playing for little or nothing around the city and the area at Youth Centers and the like.

By the time he was 18, just four years ago, Buddy Holly already had achieved point number one on the road to the top. He got a chance to cut a recording for Decca in September, 1955, and he turned out such songs "Blue Days, Black Nights" and "Modern Don Juan" and others.

Formed Famed Crickets
It was after he graduated from Tom S. Lubbock that he formed the original Crickets, a name that was destined to become know nationwide in the radio, television and juke box fields. Four boys composed the Crickets at the time the group made an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show Dec 1, 1957: Joe B. Mauldin, Jerry Allison, Nicki Sullivan and Buddy. They shared the limelight with such toppers as Polly Bengen, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Tony and Sally De Marco.

It was about this time that the record sales for such hit numbers as "That'll Be The Day" and "Peggy Sue" were booming the boys into the "Hot 100" of Billboard Magazine.

Crickets Made Tour
Then about a year ago, the Crickets now, numbering only three, Sullivan having dropped out of the line-up, took off for appearances in Australia and Hawaii, then doubled back through Lubbock en route to England and a successful appearance there.

Finally, with such numbers as "Heartbeat" and the current "It Doesn't Matter Any More" and "Raining In My Heart," Buddy began to get his sights on what he wanted definitely in the future.

He had recorded three long playing albums, one with the Crickets and two as the solo star, backed with singers and orchestra, beside the numbers of individual recordings. He examined his career and he became a solo star, feeling that he'd be better off on his own. This was apparent in his recording of "Early in the Morning."

More
More and more his career took him further away from his home in Lubbock, kept him nearer the recording centers and the offices of agents and contacts in New York.

He was married Aug. 15 to Maria Elena Santiago, who was working as a receptionist in the offices of Southern Music Co. in New York, a company that handled much of Buddy's music and arrangements. He settled down-when not touring and making personals-in a Fifth Avenue apartment.

Headliner or Troupe
Day by day the world opened up new vistas for Buddy Holly. He was the headliner of the touring troupe when he was killed. He had scheduled appearances in Chicago, New York and Duluth before the tour ended.

He had been working with Ray "Slim" Corbin for his first professional appearance in Lubbock this summer, the first appearance in his home town since the parade of hit records shoved him ever nearer the top.

He had songs recorded and awaiting release, songs which will be released as time passes.

Rejected Movies
He reportedly turned down movie offers because he didn't like the hurried way the rock 'n roll movies turned cut.

On his upcoming schedule he had an album of sacred and spiritual songs set.

If, March had come around again this year, Buddy and his group would have been winging their way back to England for another for week tour. His recording of "That'll Be The Day" and "Peggy Sue" had enjoyed considerable success overseas and one that never clicked too well in the United States. "Rave On," Burst up to score No. 4 on the lists in London. The trip to London this time would have been an extra kick for the boy from the South Plains, for he would fly over and then come back on a luxury liner, "just for fun."

Planned Own Company
Then there was the practical future to be considered. He planned to form his own publishing company and do his own recordings. The plans were well along, even the new labels had been printed. There was only a postponement due to unforeseen complications.

Things were shaping up mighty nice for Buddy and his future. He and his new wife came home for the holidays and visited the home folks. He presented his parents with a new car for Christmas and in the back of his mind was a new home for them, too. He flew back to New York leaving his home town for what was to be his last time at 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

An irony of Buddy Holly's death is that he was studying to be a pilot. He wanted to learn how to operate a plane so that he could use it on cross-country tours. There was the thought, too, that maybe, if he could pilot a plane, he could get home to Lubbock more often.