Thursday, October 26, 2000:

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From Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Wednesday, February 3, 1999

Buddy Holly still cherished 40 years after crash

By WILLIAM KERNS
A-J Entertainment Editor

Musicians never forgot when the private plane crashed into a field north of Clear Lake, Iowa, on Feb. 3, 1959, it's tail pointed toward the snow-filled air and all four of its passengers dead.

Killed were entertainers Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holly of Lubbock, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, Ritchie Valens and pilot Roger Peterson.

Those who did forget received a musical reminder when Don McLean referred to the day of the crash as "the day the music died" in his 1971 hit song "American Pie."

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the tragedy and, as usual, most of the remembering will take place at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, the venue which has hosted an annual Winter Dance Party on this date since 1979.

Lubbock traditionally celebrates the life of Holly, its native son, on or around the late entertainer's Sept. 7 birthday.

"I think people are not in the habit of celebrating when somebody dies," said Don Caldwell, general manager of Lubbock's Cactus Theater and a key organizer of the annual Buddy Holly Music Festival in September.

"I think we're all looking forward to another great celebration in September."

Holly's accomplishments will be recalled locally from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. today on KDAV radio (1590-AM), which has a 1950s music format. Robby Crowder will host a special called "The Day the Music Died," playing music by Holly, The Big Bopper and Valens. He will offer trivia questions and historical facts, and local sponsors have provided food and prizes as give-aways.

On a national scale, music cable channel VH-1 (Cox Cable Channel 30) will air the 90-minute special "Behind the Music: The Day the Music Died" from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. today.

VH-1 will repeat the special at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Connie Gibbons will curate the Buddy Holly Center, slated to open on Sept. 3 at the former Depot Restaurant building at 18th Street and Ave. G. She said, "Our focus is on getting the center open on time, designing the permanent exhibit and having it ready for installation. We have to finish our fund raising and research, finish with the contractor, plan programming - and all of this is taking a community-wide effort.

"So no one has forgotten about Buddy Holly."

She continued, "But the focus in Lubbock is on his birthday. Traditionally, Clear Lake has done a huge festival and event tied back to the crash, but I can't remember anyone in Lubbock doing anything major on the anniversary of Holly's death.

"Mind you, this is a milestone, the 40th anniversary of his death. It's a milestone, too, because I see it has taken 40 years for us to come in with the Buddy Holly Center and permanent exhibits and programs."

tlotbeoivnnfedloegtnrb-lThe Associated Press reported a number of other reasons that 1959 could be called the year the music died:

l Elvis Presley was a soldier and was never again to be the music force he had been before.

Jerry Lee Lewis' music was banned from radio after he married his 13-year-old cousin.

Chuck Berry was embroiled in ongoing legal problems.

Little Richard turned to the ministry.