Axl Rose missed it.

Smokey Robinson inducted The Comets, The Crickets and other bands during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Saturday night. (AP)

The hedonistic hard rockers, who became the world’s top music act amid endless dysfunction, members of Guns N’ Roses reunited for three songs on Saturday night before 6,000 fans, many of whom were thrilled to see at least most of the band’s original lineup jam on classic hits like “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City.”

Rose, the band’s frontman and ringmaster of the G N’ R traveling sex, drugs and rock and roll circus, declined to attend the induction, saying he didn’t want to be a part of the ceremony because it “doesn’t appear to be somewhere I’m actually wanted or respected.”

He was hardly missed.

While his decision disappointed some hardcore fans and ended any possibility of a full-scale reunion of the original lineup, guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steve Adler performed for the first time in nearly 20 years to the delight of the sell-out crowd inside historic Public Hall.

Smokey Robinson on stage during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. (AP)

Smokey Robinson inducted long-deserving backup bands for early rock artists. The groups included Lubbock-born Buddy Holly’s The Crickets, James Brown’s the Famous Flames, Bill Hailey’s The Comets and Robinson’s The Miracles.

Guns N’ Roses were one of the headliners of this year’s eclectic group of inductees, which included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys, folk icon Donovan, late singer-songwriter Laura Nyro and British bands the Small Faces and Faces.

Slideshow of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

A health issue will stop drummer Jerry (J.I.) Allison, 72; guitarist and lead vocalist Sonny Curtis, 74; and standup bass player Joe B. Mauldin, 71, from being in Cleveland tonight.

The Crickets dressed in formal attire when the late Buddy Holly was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association International in October 1994. Teh surviving Crickets, from left, Sonny Curtis, Joe B. Mauldin and Jerry Allison will be unable to attend their own induction this evening into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. One man cannot travel because of a health issue, and the other two have opted to stay behind with him. (Provided by Kathleen Sauers)

The Crickets, including the late Nicki Sullivan, will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at 8 p.m. in Cleveland, at long last placing them on equal status with band leader Charles Hardin “Buddy” Holly, a member of the inaugural class of musicians voted into the hall of fame a quarter-century ago.

(Guitar picker Nicki Sullivan left the band at the end of 1957 and was 66 when he died from a heart attack in 2004.)

Mauldin is dealing with a health issue and wants his privacy respected.

On Thursday, Curtis said in an email, “He is having surgery in a few days and cannot go to Cleveland. J.I. and I decided that, if Joe B. can’t go, we won’t go. That’s the main reason.”

Mauldin’s friends already have made serious plans for tonight.

In Cleveland, Smokey Robinson will induct the musicians with six bands who only saw their front men granted hall of fame membership in earlier years.

Robinson will officially induct:

■ The Crickets (front man Buddy Holly).

■ The Blue Caps (front man Gene Vincent).

■ The Comets (front man Bill Haley).

■ The Famous Flames (front man James Brown).

■ The Midnighters (front man Hank Ballard), and,

■ The Miracles (front man Robinson).

“As I have told you before, this still is a great honor and we all are very appreciative,” Curtis said. “On Saturday night, we are all going to gather at J.I.’s house, sip some champagne and celebrate being friends and rock ’n’ roll buddies since the 1950s. We’ll drink a toast to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and have a good ol’ time.”

When the Crickets were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame on Oct. 28, 2008, in Nashville, Paul McCartney sent a special bottle of champagne.

“We have been waiting for a very special occasion to pop the cork, and Saturday night’s it,” Curtis said.

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Meadow native Sonny Curtis, 74, toured and played with a number of stars before joining the Crickets after the death of Buddy Holly in 1959.

Sonny Curtis grew up in Meadow and moved to Slaton during his senior year in high school.

He also played guitar with Holly in earlier years, and came close to replacing Cricket Niki Sullivan when the latter left the band in 1957. Curtis being on the wrong side of Norman Petty could not have helped.

Through it all, Curtis kept writing songs and this weekend is honored for his prolific song writing with a “poet and prophet” designation by the Country Music Hall of Fame.

He also wrote “I Fought the Law (and the Law Won),” which the Crickets were quick to record. Fellow Texans The Bobby Fuller Band had a hit with it and, years later, the same song helped introduce The Clash.

There are websites devoted to Curtis compositions, and some of his more popular songs include “More Than I Can Say” (with J.I. Allison), “I’m No Stranger to the Rain” (with Ron Hellard), “Walk Right Back,” “The Straight Life,” “A Fool Never Learns” and “Love Is All Around,” theme for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”

Punk band The Dead Kennedys recorded it, as did Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Grateful Dead, Stray Cats, Nancy Griffith, Bryan Adams, John Mellencamp, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Waylon Jennings and the Sex Pistols, to name only a few.

So with Curtis earning a new honor from the Country Music Hall of Fame, the time seemed right to learn a bit more about his past, his friendship with Holly and the Crickets, and of course, his songs.

The Crickets dressed in formal attire when the late Buddy Holly was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Association International in October 1994. Pictured are, from left, Sonny Curtis, Joe B. Mauldin and Jerry (J.I.) Allison. (Provided by KATHLEEN SAUERS)

A-J: Buddy Holly was among the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 1986. On April 14, more than a quarter of a century later, the Crickets — specifically you, Jerry (J.I.) Allison, Joe B. Mauldin and the late Niki Sullivan — will be inducted. What is your feeling about being inducted now? How did you feel when Buddy was inducted as a solo?

Sonny: I don’t like to dwell too much on bummers. But when Buddy was inducted, we didn’t even get invited. That not only made us feel left out, it hurt our feelings. But we were all incredibly busy at the time, and there was music out there that needed to be picked. Life goes on, so there you are.
Sonny: I don’t think it’s actually an award. Now and then the CMHOF does a show and interviews legendary (their word, not mine) songwriters, and that’s what this is. I am very honored that they have included me. It will be streamed live at 1:30 p.m. Saturday on the CMHOF website.A-J: You are a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. This weekend, you receive a “Poets and Prophets” award from the Country Music Hall of Fame (CMHOF), a series that “honors songwriters who have made significant contributions to country music history.” How does this make you feel?

Sonny: What can I say? It’s a great feeling to hear your song on the radio. I’ve had a very fulfilling career. It’s taken me to a lot of places and introduced me to a lot of wonderful people who have become my fans and friends. That makes it all worthwhile.A-J: How important was it for you to be recognized as a songwriter. So many artists have covered your songs.

Singer-songwriter Sonny Curtis, a member of the Crickets, often takes his old Martin guitar into his "writing room" to come up with a new song. The Crickets will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14, and this weekend Curtis will be honored for his songwriting by the Country Music Hall of Fame. (Earl Lewis)

A-J: You were born May 9, 1937, in Meadow. When did you move away?

Sonny: I grew up in Meadow and moved away during my senior year in high school to finish in Slaton. From there, I bounced all over the place, trying to make it. I don’t qualify for Hank Snow’s “I’ve Been Everywhere, Man,” but almost.

A-J: How old were you when you learned how to play guitar? How did you get your first one? What kind was it?

Sonny: I think I was about 6. My dad brought two cheap guitars home one day, and we all started messing around with them. One was a Melody King (probably from Sears) and the other was a Kaye. They were pretty bad guitars and strung with baling wire, but we learned to play them.

A-J: How and where did you meet Buddy Holly? Did you become friends quickly?

Sonny: My friend Olan Finley, who moved to Lubbock from Meadow, introduced me to Buddy and Bob Montgomery. We all said hello, shook hands and started pickin’. I think Buddy and I were probably friends before we met.

A-J: When did you first play with Buddy? Was the band called the Crickets then?

Sonny: I don’t remember the actual first time. It was about 1952. The band was called simply Buddy and Bob. It included Larry Welborn on bass, and I played guitar and some fiddle. When we first recorded for Decca, the first record, “Blue Days, Black Nights,” was just under Buddy’s name. Then for some reason, we became the Three Tones for awhile.

A-J: You had moved on to play with some other acts before Buddy went out in 1958. Were things just not happening in Lubbock fast enough for you?

Sonny: As I recall, none of us was exclusively in one band. We all played wherever we could make a little money, or at least pick (which was more important). However, I was playing mostly with Buddy after we switched to rock and roll (which included Don Guess and, later, J.I.). Being out of school and living mostly on beans and beans, I was truly in serious financial straits and needed to make some money. In August of 1956, when I got a chance to go out (on tour) with Slim Whitman, a gig which only lasted about 15 minutes, I jumped at it. I won’t deny that Buddy and I had some ego clashes, which, looking back, seems rather silly to me.

A-J: Is there one thing you remember most about Buddy? Where were you when you got the news about the plane crash?

Sonny: One thing that strikes me is how confident he was. He was positive he would make it big soon. I wasn’t so sure, but he seemed to not have a doubt in the world. The tragic night he died, I had spent the night at J.I.’s folks’ house. Mrs. Allison and I were at the kitchen table having coffee. Oleta Hall, from across the street, came over and said she had just heard it on the radio. J.I. was still asleep, and I had the sad task of waking him up with the news.

A-J: Was there any one particular part of the movie “The Buddy Holly Story” that inspired you to write the song “The Real Buddy Holly Story?” Was writing that song important to you on a personal basis?

Sonny: J.I, Joe. B. and I went to Dallas for the movie premiere, and we thought it really missed the mark. One thing that turned me off was Gary Busey’s portrayal of Buddy. He acted more like Chuck Berry than Buddy. He also depicted Buddy as a sloppy dresser and an unsophisticated rube. Buddy was neither. His mom even tapered his jeans for him. He was very aware of his appearance and always tried to look cool. The movie also made Mr. and Mrs. Holley out to be opposed to Buddy’s dreams and aspirations. That’s 180 degrees from the truth. They were not only 100 percent behind Buddy, they supported all of us boys. I’ve often wondered how they got around when we were off to gigs in their Oldsmobile 88. The worst, probably was the scene where Buddy punched out Owen Bradley in the recording studio in Nashville. I happened to be there for that one, and we were putting on our best manners with: “Yes, Mr. Bradley” and “No, Mr. Bradley,” etc. All I’ve got to say is Hollywood took a whole lot of license.

A-J: How old were you when you began writing songs?

Sonny: I was about 15.

A-J: Do you remember the first song you ever wrote?

Sonny: I do. It was called “Moon, Moon, Silvery Moon.” I wrote it on my dad’s tractor while going over the place we call Rabbit Ranch with a stalk cutter. It’s a situation that gives you a lot of time to practice writing songs.

A-J: How about the first song of yours that also was recorded?

Sonny: The first song I had recorded was “Rock Around with Ollie Vee,” (recorded) by Buddy on those first Decca Sessions we did.

A-J: Sonny, when did you first become comfortable describing yourself as a songwriter?

Sonny: I don’t ever remember being uncomfortable. After my song “Someday” got on the charts in the spring of ’57 and “Rock Around with Ollie Vee” came out soon after that, I did not have any trouble telling people I was a songwriter.

A-J: Webb Pierce took “Someday” to the Top 10. Did that open doors for you as a songwriter?

Sonny: To be honest, I think it only made it to No. 13 on the charts and yes, it opened some doors. It made some people in Nashville somewhat aware of me, and it got me a job on “The Philip Morris Country Music Show” with Carl Smith, Red Sovine, Goldie Hill and Mimi Roman.

A-J: Sonny, you have recorded for several labels. Was that always the dream: to be the front man, singing your own songs?

Sonny: In the beginning, of course, that was my dream. After I grew up a little and saw what that did to people, I backed off some. I do enjoy being in the studio, cutting records and watching it all come together. But I also like going to the mall and not having people recognize me.

A-J: Is there one of your songs that surprised you by becoming a hit?

Sonny: I think J.I. (co-writer) and I were both a little surprised by the popularity that “More Than I Can Say” achieved. Bobby Vee had a pretty good hit on it in 1961. But when Leo Sayer had a worldwide hit on it, we could hardly believe it. I remember, we were out on the road, opening for Waylon (Jennings) and we said, “Man, we’ve got to put that song into our act.”

A-J: Where were you when Buddy and the Crickets took off?

Sonny: I had a gig playing six nights week in a nightclub, the Navajo Hogan Club, in Colorado Springs. The money wasn’t very good, but the hours were long.

A-J: And what was your personal reaction when it happened?

Sonny: Well, I was happy for my friends. But I also felt a little left out.

A-J: How close did you come to becoming a Cricket during Buddy’s golden years?

Sonny: When Niki quit the band at the end of 1957, Buddy and the guys were thinking of replacing him with me. I even went to Clovis when they were going to discuss it (with producer/manager Norman Petty). In the end, they decided to be a “three-piece.” Niki and I rode back to Lubbock together.

A-J: You said in another interview that Norman Petty did not like you. Would you elaborate about your working relationship with Norman?

Sonny: I don’t want to be too hard on Norman because he is not here to speak for himself. But Norman had a group called the Norman Petty Trio. They were highly successful with (Mickey Mouse) hits in the early ’50s like “Mood Indigo” and Norman’s composition of “Almost Paradise.” Their trio consisted of Norman, Vi (Norman’s wife) and guitarist Jack Vaughn. Jack’s wife got pregnant and he decided to quit. Norman called me and asked me to take Jack’s place. I went to Clovis and tried out. Norman offered me a good deal, I thought. … I decided it was too good a deal to turn down, so I called Buddy to tell him I was quitting. Buddy said, “Man, you don’t want to do that. You’ll get sick of that Mickey Mouse music.” I said, “Well, Norman said he will buy me an electric guitar.” (I didn’t have one at the time.) Buddy said, “Hell, I’ll buy you an electric guitar.” Buddy convinced me. I called Norman and turned him down. Norman never forgave me. He never liked me again. We had some more dealings, but he always poured them over ice water. I’m not a fan of Norman Petty. He told me once that I was wishy-washy and (paraphrasing) a person of low character. He said that I would wind up in this business with (his words) “a big goose egg.” When you are young, broke, doubting yourself anyway, and struggling to figure it all out, those are words that can break your heart. I’m sorry he’s not here to speak for himself. I’d love to meet him face to face and say, “Man, the way you treated me was not cool.”

A-J: Do you set aside a certain time period that works for you as a songwriter?

Sonny: When I was writing songs, I was always ready, whether riding down the road or dreaming. Also, I’ve done a lot of other things in the music business, like pickin’ sessions, going on the road with the Crickets, the Everly Brothers, Waylon, etc. Any time I had some spare time, I generally tried to write. I also have gotten up in the morning with my coffee and gone to my writing room and written songs. The way I approached it is, when I was struck with an idea, I started writing.

A-J: Do you work better writing alone or with a partner?

Sonny: I prefer to write alone, but I’m not unwilling to co-write. The process is different. When you write alone, you can start in the middle if you want, and develop it any way you want and take as long as you want. When you co-write, there is a lot of give and take. It has to be more structured. You have to be open to an idea you might not like at first. It’s hard to be stubborn and come out with a good result.

A-J: Who had the original idea for “More Than I Can Say?” Was that easy for you and J.I. to co-write?

Sonny: I can’t remember who had the idea. We were on our way to New York in 1959 to record “In Style with the Crickets.” I don’t think it was hard. We just sat in the back seat pickin’ and it came together.

A-J: Did you and Buddy and the gang seeing Elvis have an influence on you branching more into rock?

Sonny: Absolutely. When I saw Elvis, I was hooked.

A-J: And what is the story behind “Rock Around with Ollie Vee?”

Sonny: Ollie Vee was married to Willie Robinson, a black man who my dad hired to help him on the farm. The only connection she has to the song is, I used her name.

A-J: “I Fought the Law” must be your most successful song. Please say where you were, or what was the thought process behind that song. Obviously, it became a hit for dozens of recording artists, starting with Bobby Fuller.

Sonny: “I Fought the Law” is my most successful copyright. I was sitting in my living room in Slaton one hot summer afternoon in 1959. The wind was up and the sand was blowing, and I was just pickin’ my guitar, trying to write a song. There was no thought process. It only took about 15 minutes, and there’s nothing true about it. I was just singing what came into my head. I’m really thankful that the kid I was back then came up with that song, because “I Fought the Law” has meant a lot to me. And as I understand it, Bobby Fuller got it off our “In Style with the Crickets” album.

A-J: You had success jingle-writing for a while. What was the appeal?

Sonny: I wrote jingles for the last five years I was in LA. I was invited to join my friend Don Piestrup, who is about the most delightful guy you could work with. He is a musical genius, and afforded me with what amounts to a college education in music. Jingle writing was a terrific work environment and it paid well.

A-J: Another of your biggest songs is “Love is all Around,” the theme for “The Mary Tyler More Show.” Where did the inspiration, or invitation, come for that song?

Sonny: Doug Gilmore, my friend who worked for the Williams and Price Agency and managed Mary, called me one day at about 11 a.m. and asked me to write it. He dropped off a four-page format of the show during his lunch break. By 2 p.m., I had the song finished. I was sent to CBS to sing it to (show creator) James L. Brooks and voila! The whole thing took about half a day. Luck just happened to be on my side that day.

A-J: You were drafted into the Army in about 1960. Where were you stationed, and what was the biggest tune you wrote while you were gone?

Sonny: I took my basic training at Fort Ord, California, my MOS (military occupation specialty) training at Fort Gordon, Georgia, and then I spent 18 months in Toule, France, at the Jeanne D’Arc casern. I wrote “Walk Right Back” during basic training.

A-J: Name your favorite five songwriters, alive or deceased.

Sonny: (Frederic) Chopin, Cole Porter, Boudleax & Felice Bryant, and (John) Lennon & (Paul) McCartney. Oops. That’s six.

A-J: Do you still have family in Meadow and West Texas?

Sonny: Yes, I have a patch of wonderful relatives all over West Texas: Meadow, Lubbock, Brownfield, Levelland, Midland, etc. Not to mention a whole bunch of great friends.

A-J: Any regrets:

Sonny: Sure. I don’t think anybody can look back over their life and not want to tweak a few things. But overall, I can look in the mirror and feel OK with myself. I think Waylon said it best in song: “I can’t say I’m proud of all the things that I’ve done, but I can say I’ve never intentionally hurt anyone.” I hope I’ve at least achieved that.

A-J: I have to ask, Sonny. Among the hundreds of songs you have written, is there one you can call a favorite?

Sonny: The song I wrote for my daughter, “It’s Not Easy Being Fifteen.” It’s my favorite because it is about my sweet little Sarah.

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Don Caldwell, owner of the Cactus Theater, recently handed out copies of a complimentary letter mailed to the surviving Crickets from the Beatles in Liverpool, England, on Jan. 24, 1963.

The letter boasts the personal signatures of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison.

Posing for a photo in the 1950s are the original four-piece Buddy Holly and the Crickets. Band members are, from left, Niki Sullivan, rhythm guitar; Jerry Allison, drums; Buddy Holly, lead vocals and lead guitar; and Joe B. Mauldin, standup bass. (PROVIDED BY BILL GRIGGS COLLECTION)

Drummer Jerry “J.I.” Allison, standup bass player Joe B. Mauldin and the late guitarist Niki Sullivan, who died suddenly from a heart attack at age 66 in 2004, are best known for their work with Buddy Holly — music that influenced the Beatles and many other musicians.

On Saturday, they’ll be honored for the work they did with the Lubbock-born legend who died in a 1959 plane crash — and for their long history since.

Allison, Mauldin, Sullivan and vocalist Sonny Curtis will enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The three surviving members still tour and perform as the Crickets.

No Crickets plan to attend the induction ceremony in Cleveland, which will be videotaped and air in early May on HBO.

The A-J recently interviewed Allison and Mauldin, and the discussion will be printed over the next four days.

As for that nice letter from the Beatles, both Crickets point out McCartney was even more complimentary when he later met them in person.

A-J: Buddy Holly was among the very first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. On Saturday, more than a quarter of a century later, the Crickets — Jerry (J.I.) Allison, Sonny Curtis, Joe B. Mauldin and the late Niki Sullivan — will be inducted. How do you feel about being inducted now?

Allison: I am honored to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I am thankful to the fans and everyone else who made this happen.

Barely past their teens, Buddy Holly and the Crickets were on the doorstep of international success in the later 1950s. The almost baby-faced band members are, from left, Jerry Allison, drums, Buddy Holly, lead guitar and lead vocals, and Joe B. Mauldin, standup bass. (PROVIDED BY JERRY ALLISON)

Mauldin: It feels great being inducted now. I think anytime someone thinks enough of you to induct you into their organization, you should be happy.

A-J: How did you feel about being left out when Buddy was inducted as a solo?

Allison: You just said it, Bill. I felt left out.

Mauldin: I could not understand how they could induct Buddy without mentioning his part on The Crickets’ recording of “That’ll Be the Day.”

A-J: Looking back, you were not born in Lubbock, right, J.I.?

Allison: I was born (Jerry Ivan Allison) in Hillsboro on Aug. 31, 1939. And I moved to Lubbock from Plainview when I was 10.

Mauldin: I was born in Lubbock on July 8, 1940.

A-J: Joe B., what does the B stand for. And when did you start going by Joe B.?

Mauldin: The B stands for Benson. I am Joe Benson Mauldin Jr. So Mom called Dad Joe and, when she called for Joe B., that meant me.

A-J: J.I., it seems I read that you graduated from high school early. Is that right?

Allison: I graduated from Lubbock High in 1956 when I was 16. The reason being, my mother, Louise Allison, was the teacher and principal of a two-room school outside Plainview, and we lived next door. I turned 5 on Aug. 31, school started on Sept. 1, and I guess my folks thought I would be less trouble if I was in class. So that was that. I graduated 12 years later. It didn’t really seem early to me.

A-J: Joe, when did you start learning to play the standup bass. And what was it that attracted you to this particular instrument. Was there anyone who influenced your playing style?

Mauldin: I started learning to play standup bass in 1954. A friend of mine had borrowed one from the school we went to. I thought, “What a perfect chance to get involved in the music business.” I was very impressed with the way Bill Black played.

A-J: Joe, in your dreams, did you ever envision you being voted in the “Book of Lists” as one of history’s top rock bassists? That’s very cool.

Mauldin: No, it never crossed my mind at all.

A-J: What do you recall about your very first standup bass? Was it very high quality? Where did you get it?

Mauldin: I still own my very first standup bass. To me, it was pretty high quality because the price for it was $300. I bought it at Delahunty’s Music Store in Lubbock.

A-J: Jerry, when did you begin learning to play the drums? What was it that attracted you to percussion, and who were the drummers who influenced you the most?

Allison: I joined the grade school band in fifth or sixth grade. The halftime show at a football game made me want to whack the drums. There were not a lot of opportunities for me to hear music in those days, but I liked Gene Krupa when I was growing up. As rock ’n’ roll surfaced, I was totally impressed with Charles Conner. He played drums with Little Richard in a movie called “The Girl Can’t Help It.” Buddy Holly and I watched that movie seven or eight times.

A-J: What do you recall about your first drum kit, J.I.?

Allison: My folks bought my first set of drums (Slingerland)after we moved to Sixth Street in Lubbock. I was flipped out. The bass drum had a Hawaiian scene painted on it, and had a blue light inside that lit up when you hit the pedal. The tom toms also had lights, which I quickly took out since, at the time, all drum heads were calf skin and, after a song or two, they would get entirely too tight from the heat. I used that set until the summer of 1956. We — that would be Buddy, Don Guess and I — did a two-week tour backing George Jones, Cowboy Copas, Hank Locklin and others. We earned $10 a day, plus expenses. When we got home, I had $140. I went straight to Jack Delahunty’s shop, and traded my old drums in on a new set of Premier.

A-J: Where and when did ya’ll meet Buddy Holly? Who introduced you? Did you hit it off right away?

Allison: We met in the school yard at J.T. Hutchinson Junior High School. But we did not become best friends until some time in high school. Buddy and Bob Montgomery played for a school assembly program during my eighth-grade year, and it affected me like marching band in the fifth grade. It was the very best live music I had heard up to then.

Mauldin: It was Jerry Allison who introduced me to Buddy in Lubbock when I was in high school. Very soon after that, they asked me to play bass full time with the Crickets.

A-J: Jerry, were you mostly just playing at school functions, and weekends at the roller rink, when ya’ll started out?

Allison: Some friends in the school bands would play occasionally in the cafeteria, at proms and other school functions. After Buddy, Bob (Montgomery), Sonny (Curtis), myself and various others got together, we played for things like gas station openings and sales events at the Pontiac dealership, but mostly at nightclubs (the Cotton Club, etc.) and dances at the roller rink on College Avenue.

Crickets induction

■ Event: Induction into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

■ Who: The late guitarist Niki Sullivan, drummer Jerry “J.I.” Allison, vocalist Sonny Curtis and standup bass player Joe B. Mauldin.

■ When: 8 p.m. Saturday.

Beatles letter

■ The letter reads: “Dear Crickets, When we were rehearsing for a TV show the other day, we met someone who had known you during your recent trip to England, and they told us how you had complimented us. We also heard from (record company) EMI in London that you had a copy of our record. Well, we’d just like to say that we take this as a great compliment and appreciate it very much.”

Finally inducted

In an effort to correct mistakes dating back as far as a quarter-century, officials at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland will induct Lubbock band The Crickets and five other previously overlooked recording acts during a ceremony at 8 p.m. Saturday. The front men of these six famous groups were inducted in previous years.

Bands being inducted Saturday, and their front men, are:

■ The Crickets (Buddy Holly, inducted in 1986).

■ The Blue Caps (Gene Vincent, inducted in 1998).

■ The Comets (Bill Haley, inducted in 1987).

■ The Famous Flames (James Brown, inducted in 1986).

■ The Midnighters (Hank Ballard, inducted in 1990).

■ The Miracles (Smokey Robinson, inducted in 1987).

Robinson will introduce the six bands being inducted.

Joel Peresman, president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, called the bands pioneers and influential artists in the development of rock ’n’ roll.

Also inducted

The following artists also will be honored at Saturday’s 27th-annual induction ceremony. * Performers: Beastie Boys, Donovan, Guns N’ Roses, Laura Nyro, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Small Faces/The Faces.

■ Early influence: Freddie King.

■ Non-performer: Don Kirschner.

■ Musical influences/sidemen: Tom Dowd, Glyn Johns and Cosimo Matassa.

Niki Sullivan

■ Sullivan was a Navy veteran who joined Buddy Holly and the Crickets as a second guitarist in 1956. (Holly was the lead singer and played lead guitar.) In late 1957, following the band’s December appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” Niki Sullivan left from the band.

The reason he gave in his published memoir was he was uncomfortable with the amount of touring expected of the band.

Sullivan’s character was left out of the movie “The Buddy Holly Story,” but there is a character called “the fourth Cricket,” undoubtedly meant to be Sullivan, in the hit stage play “Buddy! The Buddy Holly Story.”

Sullivan was not replaced, and Holly and the Crickets continued to tour and record as a three-piece.

Sonny Curtis

Curtis, who had performed with Holly before the Crickets, was asked to join Mauldin and Allison after Holly died.

An interview with Curtis, also a prolific songwriter, was published Feb. 25 in The Avalanche-Journal and can be found with this story on lubbockonline.com.

This is the second in a four-part series.

The Crickets will be honored Saturday for the work they did with Lubbock-born music legend Buddy Holly, who died in a 1959 plane crash — and for their long history since.

Jerry Allison on drums with The Everly Brothers recording "Let It Be Me' and other songs in New York, 1959.

Drummer Jerry “J.I.” Allison, standup bass player Joe B. Mauldin and vocalist Sonny Curtis will enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Niki Sullivan, who was with the Crickets in 1956-57, died from a heart attack at age 66 in 2004.

The three surviving members still tour and perform as the Crickets.

No Crickets plan to attend the induction ceremony in Cleveland, which will be videotaped and air in early May on HBO.

An interview with Curtis, also a prolific songwriter, was published Feb. 25 in The Avalanche-Journal and on lubbockonline.com or buddyhollyarchives.com.

The A-J recently interviewed Allison and Mauldin, and the first part of the discussion was printed Sunday.

A-J: When did you come up with the name the Crickets? How did that come about?

Allison: Buddy and I were practicing one day, and decided we needed a group name. We liked a record by the Spiders called “Witchcraft,” so we decided to be insects. We looked in the dictionary under insects and stopped at Cricket. We had a lot of Crickets in Texas that year, too.

The Crickets continue to record and tour, and will be inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on April 14. Today's Crickets are, from left, Jerry Allison, drums; Joe B. Mauldin, standup bass; and Sonny Curtis, guitar and vocals. Not pictures is the late Niki Sullivan, who also will be inducted. (PROVIDED BY BILL GRIGGS COLLECTION)

A-J: Joe, you were already playing in a band before the Crickets, weren’t you?

Mauldin: I was playing gigs with The Four Teens at the time. They were doing school functions and local dances at the time. The group was already called the Crickets when they asked me to play bass full time. I was always told that Jerry Allison was the one who came up with the Crickets name.

A-J: Jumping ahead a bit, did you get the credits you deserved for song writing, Jerry? I’m just asking because I heard that you and Buddy used to make up songs together a lot. Was there a problem in getting proper credit?

Allison: I think it is a little late to play pointy finger. But do not believe the credits on the records. Buddy and I wrote a lot together. And Buddy deserves all of the credit he got, and more.

Mauldin: I was given credit for contributing to three of our songs: “Last Night,” “I’m Gonna Love You Too” and “Well, Alright.”

A-J: Didn’t you also open for Elvis Presley? What was that like? What was Elvis like?

Allison: We did open for Elvis once at the Fair Park Coliseum. It was great fun. We were already huge Elvis fans by then. When Elvis was in town before, he, Jim Ed Brown and maybe a few others, came out to the Cotton Club and performed after their Fair Park show. Seems like they picked up an extra $25. We, the Riverside Ranch Hands, had played dance music while awaiting the stars. Buddy had been to the (Fair Park) show and also came out to the Cotton Club afterward. We hung around until the whole place was about to shut down, but we did get to sit around and talk to Elvis. This was before Elvis hired D.J. (Fontana) to play drums. I boldly asked why he didn’t have a drummer, and Elvis said, “Man, if I did, I’d sound just like Bill Haley.” Buddy wanted to be like Elvis so badly that he made me sit out sometimes, just so he, Sonny and Don Guess would sound more like the records. Along came D.J., and things were back to normal.

Mauldin: Buddy and J.I. were the opening act on a concert headlined by Elvis before I ever became a member of the Crickets. I was at the concert, but not yet part of the group.

Buddy Holly and the original Crickets, wearing suits, are seen performing rock 'n' roll in concert in the 1950s. The musicians are, from left, Niki Sullivan, rhythm guitar; Jerry Allison, drums; Buddy Holly, lead vocals and lead guitar; and Joe B. Mauldin, standup bass. The Crickets will be inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on April 14. (PROVIDED BY BILL GRIGGS COLLECTION)

A-J: How did your music change after hearing Elvis? What sort of influence did he have?

Mauldin: I played mostly country music. But after I saw and heard Elvis, that was the only kind of music I wanted to play.

A-J: Were you confident when you began recording in Clovis, N.M., with Norman Petty producing? Did he have you convinced that success was just around the corner?

Allison: I think we were pretty confident. We had played “That’ll Be the Day” around Lubbock a lot, and it seemed like a lot of the kids liked it. Really, I had been sensing success was around the corner for Buddy ever since junior high.

Mauldin: When I began recording in Clovis, I did not feel confident with my playing. But Norman Petty convinced me that we were going to be successful soon.

A-J: Jerry, I don’t want to forget to ask: What is the real story about you asking Buddy to change the title of “Cindy Lou” to “Peggy Sue?” Where did you have that conversation? I know you married Peggy Sue, and you later divorced, but was Peggy Sue suitably impressed when she heard the tune?

Allison: Buddy had a song called “Cindy Lou” started and was singing it for me. It had a Latin feel then. We were probably circling the Hi-D-Ho in Buddy’s ’55 Olds. I had hung out with Peggy Sue some in school, and she had moved to California to finish high school. Anyway, we changed the beat and finished the song as “Peggy Sue.” She was impressed at the time, but I think she’s gotten over it.

A-J: Jerry, back to being best friends. You and Buddy even decided to honeymoon together in Hawaii when Buddy married Maria and you married Peggy Sue. Looking back, would you do something like that again? Was it as much fun as you hoped?

Allison: Looking back, I should have kept writing songs and practicing the drums, and have no reason to honeymoon.

Finally inducted

In an effort to correct mistakes dating back as far as a quarter-century, officials at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland will induct Lubbock band The Crickets and five other previously overlooked recording acts during a ceremony at 8 p.m. Saturday. The front men of these six famous groups were inducted in previous years.

Bands being inducted Saturday, and their front men, are:

■■ The Crickets (Buddy Holly, inducted in 1986).

■ The Blue Caps (Gene Vincent, inducted in 1998).

■■ The Comets (Bill Haley, inducted in 1987).

■ The Famous Flames (James Brown, inducted in 1986).

■■ The Midnighters (Hank Ballard, inducted in 1990).

■■ The Miracles (Smokey Robinson, inducted in 1987).

Robinson will introduce the six bands being inducted.

Joel Peresman, president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, called the bands pioneers and influential artists in the development of rock ’n’ roll.

This is the third in a four-part series.

The Crickets will be honored Saturday for their work with Lubbock-born music legend Buddy Holly — who died in a 1959 plane crash — and for their long history since.

Stopping to pose for a backstage photo in the 1950s are Buddy Holly and the Crickets The band is, from left, Niki Sullivan, rhythm guitar; Joe B. Mauldin, standup bass; Buddy Holly in the white suit, lead vocals and lead guitar; and Jerry Allison, drums. The Crickets will be inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on April 14. (PROVIDED BY BILL GRIGGS COLLECTION)

Drummer Jerry “J.I.” Allison, standup bass player Joe B. Mauldin and vocalist Sonny Curtis will enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Niki Sullivan, who was with the Crickets in 1956-57, died from a heart attack at age 66 in 2004.

The three surviving members continue to tour and perform as the Crickets.

No Crickets plan to attend the induction ceremony in Cleveland, which will be videotaped and broadcast in early May on HBO.

An interview with Curtis, also a prolific songwriter, was published Feb. 25 in The Avalanche-Journal and can be found with this story on lubbockonline.com.

The A-J intereviewed Allison and Mauldin recently, and the first discussion was printed Sunday. Today is the second part and the third on Wednesday.

A-J: What do you recall about the time ya’ll were sent to Nashville to record?

Allison: Buddy got a contract with Decca after sending some demos to Nashville. I was still in high school and could not leave to do the recording. So it was Buddy and Sonny Curtis and Don Guess who recorded four sides with Nashville players, and we were all excited, waiting for a release. “Blue Days Black Nights” was released and didn’t sell a lot. We went back to Nashville that summer and recorded some more, which sold less. It was my first union session. I had to go to Amarillo to join the union. It was a really neat trip. We met Webb Pierce, Marty Robbins and on and on. We also went to the Grand Ole Opry.

Mauldin: I was not part of the Crickets when Buddy and J.I. went to Nashville to record.

A-J: At some point, did it feel like everything was happening super fast? First playing in Lubbock and Clovis, and then “That’ll Be the Day” breaking on the radio, and your playing in New York on “The Ed Sullivan Show?”

Allison: 1956, ’57 and ’58 just flew by. We were unbelievably lucky. We started recording in Clovis, Joe B. Mauldin joined the band and Brunswick Records released “That’ll Be the Day.” It started selling a few, and we were booked for a 17-week tour playing with our heroes like Fats Domino, Little Richard, Eddie Cochran, Chuck Berry, and almost everyone else who played rock ’n’ roll. It was perfect. We were having the time of our lives.

Mauldin: It did feel like everything was happening super fast. All of a sudden, we were going to be on the biggest show in the business.

A-J: Did you feel nervous at all when you went to New York, and all of a sudden you were meeting and making friends with other stars?

Allison: We didn’t have time to be nervous on our first trip to New York. I was busy looking up at the tall buildings, and generally being in awe of the whole unbelievable experience. I don’t think the Great Plains Life building even existed in Lubbock back then. Then on the first or second day in New York, we met the Everly Brothers, who are still my favorite singers. We met them on the street, returning from shopping for clothes. After that, we toured all over the United States and Canada with them. In 1959, Joe B., Sonny and I became their backup band, again touring the U.S., Canada, Australia and Great Britain.

Mauldin: I didn’t feel nervous, but it sure was fun being able to hang out with the people I had considered superstars for so long.

A-J: Surely, you were aware that the Beatles said there would not have been a Beatles without the Crickets coming first? That must mean a ton.

Allison: Paul McCartney actually told us, “If not for the Crickets, there would not have been any Beatles.” It was like the ultimate compliment for me. Elvis, the Everlys, the Beach Boys were all fantastic. But then along comes the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to keep the fantastic going.

Mauldin: It truly meant so much to me to have Paul McCartney tell me face to face, “If there had not been the Crickets, there never would have been the Beatles.”

A-J: Is there one thing you remember most about Buddy?

Allison: He was my best friend and a smart alek.

Mauldin: The thing I remember most about Buddy is that he wanted everyone to be happy.

A-J: Have you any thoughts on why Buddy and the Crickets were so consistently loved in Great Britain. It seems like you caught on faster in England than at home in the USA. And it is still happening.

Allison: We toured England for a month or so in 1958, and I believe we were the first American rock ’n’ roll band, other than Bill Haley, to appear there. There was a TV show called “Saturday Night at the Palladium” that was very comparable to “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Their show was very popular and, on the night we played on it, the stars were Bob Hope and Robert Morley. It seems like everyone in Great Britain saw that show. It was amazing. A fellow named John Beecher started a fan club (The Buddy Holly and Crickets Society). He now runs Rollercoaster Records, and we’re still in touch. Another friend started a fan magazine (Cricket File). He still publishes it. Between the two, they know everything that has happened as far as Buddy Holly and the Crickets. It’s great that it is still happening.

Mauldin: I’m very happy that the fans in England are so true, rather than fickle.

A-J: Please share how you found out about the plane crash and Buddy’s death. What was your immediate reaction?

Allison: We were living in Clovis at the time and came back home on Feb. 2. The next morning, I was still asleep. Sonny had been sleeping on my folks’ couch and was already awake, talking to my mom. Our friend and neighbor across the street (Oleta Hall) came over and said that she heard that Buddy and the others had been killed in a plane crash. Sonny woke me up immediately. We could not believe it. It’s still hard to believe.

Mauldin: I was at my mother’s house in Lubbock when the telephone rang and woke me up. It was my sister, who asked if I had heard that Buddy was killed in a plane crash. I would not believe her for a long time.

A-J: You and Joe B. had separated from Buddy for a while before his death. Do you think that ya’ll would have gotten back together with Buddy? Was that the plan?

Allison: Buddy, Joe B. and I did our last tour together in October of 1958. During that tour, we all decided we would move to New York City, change managers, start our own publishing company, etc. Joe B. and I flew back to Lubbock, and Buddy drove the Lincoln he’d had on the tour. After a couple of days back in Texas, Joe B. and I decided that New York probably was not the place for us. When Buddy got back, the three of us had a long talk in front of the studio in Clovis. Buddy asked us to reconsider, but he said he understood. We agreed that he would just tour as Buddy Holly, and we could have the name The Crickets. We also agreed that, if it didn’t work out, we would get back together. Sonny rejoined the group (the Crickets), and pretty soon we all decided that there was more to do than what we were doing. So we started trying to reach Buddy. Waylon (Jennings), who played bass for Buddy on his last tour, told me years later that Buddy was not happy and wanted to get back together with the Crickets for a tour of England. Waylon asked about his fate as Buddy’s bass player, and he said Buddy told him, “Bass player? You’re not a bass player. You’re a singer, and you’ll open all our shows in England.”

Mauldin: The night that Buddy was killed, J.I. and I had been trying to call him. Our agreement always was, “If anyone ever wants to get back together, all it takes is a phone call.”

This is the final part in a four-part series.

The Crickets will be honored Saturday for their work with Lubbock-born music legend Buddy Holly, who died in a 1959 plane crash — and for their long history since.

Drummer Jerry “J.I.” Allison, standup bass player Joe B. Mauldin and vocalist Sonny Curtis will enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Niki Sullivan, who was with the Crickets in 1956-57, died from a heart attack at age 66 in 2004.

The three surviving members continue to tour and perform as the Crickets.

No Crickets plan to attend the induction ceremony in Cleveland, which will be videotaped and broadcast in early May on HBO.

An interview with Curtis, also a prolific songwriter, was published Feb. 25 in The Avalanche-Journal and can be found with this story on lubbockonline.com.

The A-J intereviewed Allison and Mauldin recently, and the first discussion was printed Sunday. Today is the third and final installment.

A-J: Joe, what led to you working at Gold Star Studios? Was that a fun period? How long did you work there, and can you recall any of your favorite projects as a recording engineer?

Mauldin: I was good friends with most of the recording musicians in Los Angeles. Some of the producers would call me and ask me to hire certain musicians for their recording sessions. This gave me the opportunity to become friends with Stan Ross and Dave Gold, the owners of Gold Star Studios. They eventually asked me to become an engineer. This led to a long period of working there with people like Leon Russell, Herb Alpert, The Baja Marimba Band, etc. I also did a few movie scores. One of my favorite people to work with was Maureen McGovern.

A-J: J.I., you were able to keep the Crickets’ name after Buddy’s death. Did you encounter any legal problems?

Allison: We never had any problems with Buddy, legal or otherwise. It’s the business folks who cause the problems.

A-J: How long did you stop singing and performing as the Crickets? Was it the late Bill Griggs who got you and Joe B. and Niki Sullivan back together at one of his conventions before he moved to Lubbock?

Allison: After Buddy’s death, we stopped Cricketing and started backing the Everly Brothers for a year or so. We did go to a Bill Griggs convention in Connecticut, and Niki Sullivan was already there. That was the first time all of us had played together in years. At the time, Joe B., Sonny and I were on the road, opening shows for Waylon Jennings and Jessi (Colter).

Mauldin: I stopped performing with the Crickets while I was in the Army and then while I was working at Gold Star. Bill Griggs did not get me back with the Crickets. J.I. called and asked me to come back.

A-J: Joe, tell me what you like working with J.I. as a drummer and Sonny singing. You still have a smooth sound.

Mauldin: J.I., Sonny and I have always been able to work together without trying to out-do each other. They always listen to what I have to say.

A-J: J.I., tell me what you like working with Sonny singing and Joe B. at the standup bass.

Allison: Joe B. has always known just how much to play, never too much nor too little. He has an ideal feel. Sonny always has been a good singer. He sings like himself; that is, he doesn’t try to copy others. Maybe for a while, he copied Red Foley. I first saw Sonny on the “Bernie Howell Show” way back when, and I’m still just as impressed.

A-J: Do you have any family members living in West Texas?

Allison: No, I don’t. But I have a lot of friends out there.

Mauldin: All my family members in Lubbock have either moved or passed away. I have a daughter and her husband living in Tool, and a sister and her husband in Garland.

A-J: Looking back, any regrets? Anything you wish you had done differently?

Allison: There have been uppers and downers, but the uppers beat the others a million to one. It’s been great fun. I think I would have given New York a try. And I would have spent more time hanging out with Jerry Coleman and Tommy Hancock.

Mauldin: I have no regrets. Life has been good to me and my family.

A-J: What are your very favorite songs from the Buddy and the Crickets catalog, the tunes you still love to play the most?

Allison: “That’ll Be the Day.” It is the first song Buddy and I wrote together, and it also created gigs for us that were bigger than the roller rink on College Avenue. Plus, I’ll always love “Everyday.” That, to me, is the perfect song.

Mauldin: My top five, in order: “Oh Boy,” “Maybe Baby,” “Peggy Sue,” “True Love Ways” and “That’ll Be the Day.”

A-J: Jerry, among all the entertainers who have covered songs by Buddy & The Crickets, does any one stand out as a favorite?

Allison: I love to hear recordings of the old songs. But you cannot beat the Beatles.

Watch as teachers Ryan Montejano and Lyndsey Capps along with students Sarah Isett, Billy Overstreet and Michael Isett from Liberty Learning Center pay a special tribute to Lubbock music great Buddy Holly.

By Sherri Cruz | For the Avalanche-Journal

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Buddy Holly tattoos, Buddy Holly glasses, even a Buddy Holly flash mob.

You couldn’t ask for more on Buddy Holly Day in Los Angeles.

On Wednesday, Holly’s widow, Maria Elena Holly, accepted Holly’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the Capitol Records building on Vine Street.

Gary Busey speaks next to Maria Elena Holly during a ceremony on Wednesday where Buddy Holly’s star was unveiled on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood. Busey portrayed Holly in the movie “The Buddy Holly Story.”

Big stars and big fans were there. Holly’s music was playing.

Gary Busey, who starred as Holly in “The Buddy Holly Story,” began by saying: “This is a magical day.”

Busey said he wasn’t chosen to play Holly by the studios or the casting agents.

“I do sincerely feel in my heart, Charles Hardin Holly chose me to play him in the movie,” Busey said.

The actor was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Holly. Music producer Peter Asher and Phil Everlyof the Everly Brothers also spoke.

Asher produced “Listen to Me: Buddy Holly,” a Holly tribute record released Tuesday, featuring artists Stevie Nicks, Zooey Deschanel and Chris Isaak. Asher donned a pair of Holly’s trademark horn-rimmed glasses while he spoke.

He said they were the first pair of glasses he ever bought. “These are the actual glass from back then.”

Maria Elena Holly choked up when she talked about what Holly might think of the day. She also thanked the fans.

“I’m saying now, my dear Buddy, you loved to go to the movies. You told me one of your dreams was to write scores for movies and make your mark in Hollywood,” she said. “Well, my dear, half of your dream unfortunately didn’t come true, but the other came true with a beautiful star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

The fans were in full force.

Peter Asher speaks next to Maria Elena Holly during a ceremony on Wednesday where Buddy Holly's star was unveiled on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.

A flash mob — in Buddy Holly glasses of course — performed “Not Fade Away.” When they finished they yelled: “Happy Birthday Buddy Holly!”

Wednesday would’ve been his 75th birthday.

Larry Stump and his wife, Laurene, drove up from Phoenix. “We came just for this,” he said.

He brought a poster from Buddy Holly’s last performance. He remembers being in high school the day Holly died in a plane crash in Iowa in 1959.

“After we heard about it, we left school,” Stump said. “Me being in trouble my whole senior year, I got in trouble for leaving.”

Mike Randall and his wife, Janine, also from Phoenix, wouldn’t have missed the ceremony for the world.

They both play in a Buddy Holly tribute band.

Brad Tierney stood out in the crowd with a little bit of a Buddy Holly look going on.

“I’ve always been a huge Buddy Holly fan,” he said.

He and his girlfriend, Kristy Helton, also a Holly fan, are from Iowa.

Pat Tyson’s interest in Buddy Holly’s music rose after watching “The Buddy Holly Story.” She said he was one of a kind.

“Even his look with the horned-rimmed glasses defied the look of the time.” She drove from Glendale, Calif.

Jennifer Shaw’s dad got her into Holly and roots rock ’n’ roll when she was a little girl. Her father used to come to Lubbock every year for Buddy Holly week.

After her father died, she got a tattoo — Buddy Holly glasses across her back.

Kevin Magowan, the man who worked to get Holly’s star on the Walk of Fame, was feeling fine.

“I feel blessed, grateful and thankful. It’s a dream come true. You plant the seeds, you water them, you work hard. Then the day comes,” he said. “That’ll be the day is today.”

Lubbock-born singer-songwriter Charles Hardin “Buddy” Holly was honored posthumously Wednesday — his 75th birthday — with the 2,447th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

More than 500 people swarmed to Los Angeles just to see the 11:30 a.m. ceremony in person, according to Ana Martinez, who has produced hundreds of similar ceremonies for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Sarah Isett sports some Buddy Holly glasses near the statue of the Lubbock music great on Wednesday, which would have been his 75th birthday.

About 80 fans and Holly family members showed up at

the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock by 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to observe a live video feed of the ceremony by KCBD-TV, said center director Brooke Witcher.

The hometown fans applauded whenever they heard fans in Hollywood cheering Holly’s name.

But the streaming Internet would not properly broadcast in Lubbock, and the half-hour video feed had problems.

Visuals never were sharp, but the real problem was the sound, which, for the largest part of the half hour, could not be understood at all.

Gary and Ramona Tollett, who sang backing vocals on Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day” 54 years ago, were not at all pleased.

Speaking for many, Gary at last concluded, “It was a waste of time. You couldn’t see anything. You darn sure couldn’t hear anything. Therefore, we did not enjoy anything. People all around me were getting up to leave the room.”

Responding to an email, Martinez called The Avalanche-Journal and reported Leron Gubler, president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, was the emcee. Aside from Buddy’s widow, Maria Elena Holly, and Phil Everly, Peter Asher and Gary Busey — and everyone could hear Busey say, “God bless Buddy Holly! — the only other person to speak was Los Angeles City Councilman Tom Labonge,

It was Labonge who, acting upon Los Angeles resident Kevin Magowan’s request, enticed the City Council to vote and decree Wednesday — Sept. 7, Buddy Holly’s birthday — to be “Buddy Holly Day” in all of LA.

Meanwhile, at the Buddy Holly Center, a number of fans asked why the Lubbock City Council had not followed suit and decreed Wednesday to be “Buddy Holly Day” in Lubbock, the musician’s hometown.

Despite the unexpected technical glitch, it appeared most visitors stayed and capitalized on the fun offered throughout the day at the Buddy Holly Center.

No doubt deserving some praise for lifting spirits were British musician and director John Banister; Andy Christopher, star of Lubbock Moonlight Musicals’ “Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story”; and Eddy Weir, the late Holly’s nephew.

Although not on the announced program, the trio walked to their cars, collected their guitars and gave an impromptu concert of Holly songs in the Buddy Holly Center’s courtyard.

Fans again applauded, and Shauna Wiseman, a 30-year-old woman with Down syndrome, continually danced both in the audience and in front of the musicians.

Christopher, by the way, pointed out that this year’s final performance of the Holly stage musical will be at today’s opening of the Clovis Music Festival in Clovis, N.M.

As for Christopher, he also can be seen starring in “Godspell” the next three weekends at the Garza Theater in Post.

Already, he has made plans to move to New York City in January and begin auditioning for stage projects there. Three years ago, he planned a career in medicine; the music and theater bugs double-teamed him.

Not surprisingly, fans appeared to be arriving continually at the Buddy Holly Center from all directions on the map, most looking forward to the guided tour of the Buddy Holly Gallery, birthday cake and punch and, of course, more hours of live music.

Hal and Sandy Wilkerson dropped in from Tulia, and Sandy said her husband is the real rock ’n’ roll fan.

“Well, the older rock ’n’ roll,” he said, smiling. Both said they like Buddy Holly music.

Nadine Lealert and Peggy Brando, describing themselves as two widows from Amarillo, said Wednesday marked their first visit to the Buddy Holly Center. Peggy, especially, was excited by an opportunity to have her photograph taken with Buddy’s older brothers, Larry and Travis Holley, one at a time.

The brothers had been sitting on the front row during the video feed from Los Angeles.

“That was pretty disappointing,” said Travis.

Outside, Joe Hays was having his own picture taken with the giant sculpture of Holly’s black eyeglasses.

He and his wife, Sheilda, call Senoia, Ga., home, but they are on a road trip, their intention being to simply explore most of Texas.

“We just saw a sign that said ‘Buddy Holly,’ and we decided to pull over and check it out. Then we found out all these events were happening,” Sheilda said.

Buddy Holly Center curator Jacqueline Bober found 50 to 60 fans inside the Holly Gallery when she prepared to give the annual gallery tour at 3 p.m.

She maintained control, sharing historical facts and fun factoids, and appeared to have a good time in the process.

Those taking the tour received more than one bonus.

Making a special appearance was Echo McGuire Griffith, Buddy’s high school girlfriend. She smiled while revealing she actually dated both Buddy Holly and his best friend, Bob Montgomery, in the beginning.

“I usually went with one to a football game on Friday night, and to the movies with the other on Saturday night,” said Griffith.

Echo’s husband, Ron, revealed Echo still has 35 photographs of her and Buddy together that no one has ever seen.

Rather than market the pictures, she plans to include them in a book she has started to write.

The Tolletts joined Bober when the guided tour reached Holly’s recording sessions in 1957, offering a detailed account of their work with Holly and producer Norman Petty on “That’ll Be the Day.”

More visitors arrived when “Happy Birthday” was sung, cake was served and local musicians entertained during the celebration’s last few hours.

To comment on this story:

william.kerns@lubbockonline.com | 766-8712

leesha.faulkner@lubbockonline.com | 766-8706

When Kevin Magowan asked for permission to work to obtain a Hollywood Boulevard star for Buddy Holly, the late singer-songwriter’s widow had no reason to believe the petitioner.

Maria Elena Holly had lost count of the friends and strangers who told her Holly deserved a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

No one had to convince her of that.

Twenty-five years after Holly and nine other recording artists became the inaugural class in Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, only one didn’t have a star on the walk.

Buddy Holly and the Crickets appeared on the nationally televised "Ed Sullivan Show," which was filmed in New York City, in December 1957 and January 1958. Buddy mentioned Lubbock during his interview with Sullivan, and the host requested more applause "for these youngsters from Texas."

Buddy Holly.

Although many pointed out the gap, nobody wanted to devote the time, energy or money necessary to make Holly’s star a reality.

So, when Magowan offered, Maria dared not hope.

Holly pilgrimage

The journey to the star began with a pilgrimage.

Four years ago, Magowan left his job for a trip from Los Angeles and his family to the Norman Petty studio in Clovis, N.M., where Holly had recorded his hits.

Next stop: Lubbock — to visit every possible site related to Holly.

As money began running low, Magowan

continued to the Dallas-Fort Worth area to meet Holly’s widow.Maria recalls answering her phone and Magowan introducing himself and saying he’d love to talk with her about Buddy.

“I asked him, ‘Where are you?’ ” said Maria.

She continued, “And he told me, ‘I’m right here in the neighborhood.’ ”

She invited him over, and a friendship grew as they talked.

Magowan

They spoke by telephone each month.

In November 2009, Magowan told Maria he wanted Holly to have a star.

She gave him her blessing, but says she was not confident.

Now she gives Magowan all the credit for Buddy Holly receiving his star at 1:30 p.m. today in a public ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Magowan chose the date, Sept. 7, Holly’s 75th birthday, obtained the financing and ensured Holly’s star would rest next to those of The Beatles in the shadow of the Capitol Records tower.

Music occupation

Magowan works in the music industry, overseeing synchronization rights for music whenever someone wants to link a song to an image on a television program or in the movies.

He lost track of the Holly project for a few months.

“I forgot about everything through the holidays,” he said. “Sometime in mid-March (2010), it just hit me that I didn’t even know the deadline yet.”

Magowan called the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and learned how to nominate Holly.

Next stop: the $25,000-per-star fee and the submission form, requiring Holly’s biography, discography and qualifications.

“I wrote all of that out, just using my head, all the facts about Buddy’s life and songs that I remembered,” said Magowan.

The form asked for examples of community service.

“I decided, for that part, I would ask five really important people to write letters supporting Holly,” Magowan said. “I was lucky that, because of my job, I know a lot of industry people and I can get past a lot of the usual red tape.”

Protecting privacy

He won’t reveal the names of the five, only to say they are part of the Buddy Holly story.

He mentioned the $25,000 fee to Maria Holly.

“I told Kevin that, for me to pay for Buddy’s star, would just look tacky. I wasn’t going to do it,” she said.

Magowan had ideas — exactly three: Paul McCartney’s MPL Communications, Peer Music and Universal Records.

McCartney has purchased Holly’s music catalog.

Peer also handled Holly’s music. Maria worked as a secretary at Peer in New York when Holly met her and proposed the same day.

Universal Records distributes Holly’s music.

Magowan received permission from Maria to approach all three, and each agreed to pay one-third of the $25,000 fee.

With the May 31, 2010, deadline four days away, Magowan turned in his proposal with the money.

Rapid reply

He didn’t have to wait long, but it felt like eons.

On June 17, Magowan received approval.

Buddy would receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Four days later, Magowan took his teenage son, Ryan, with him for a drive to Hollywood Boulevard.

He took pictures of the site where he wanted Holly’s star.

Although the approval came in plenty of time for a ceremony on Holly’s birthday last year, Magowan wanted it to be on the 75th birthday.

“Everything was defined in my mind,” said Magowan. “It made perfect cosmic sense. It was my vision.”

But he wasn’t through.

Magowan again called Ana Martinez, nicknamed StarGirl, at the Hollywood chamber. She had helped produce dozens of star ceremonies. Magowan wanted Phil Everly as a presenter.

Later, the list finalized: Everly — one of Holly’s close friends and a pallbearer at his funeral, music producer Peter Asher and actor Gary Busey.

Buddy Holly Day

Magowan recalled seeing Los Angeles City Councilman Tom Labonge at a John Lennon ceremony, so he knew the official liked music.

So Magowan wrote to Labonge, asking the City Council to declare Sept. 7, 2011, “Buddy Holly Day” in Los Angeles.

This, too, came to pass.

Since Saturday, Magowan has planned Maria Elena Holly’s days in Los Angeles, and served as her escort.

He was able to book appearances on radio show “Breakfast with the Beatles” and television’s “Good Morning LA,” all to spread the word and increase attendance at today’s ceremony.

“I don’t know. A few hundred would be nice,” he said when predicting attendance.

“Not many people would take so much time to do this when they have a family and a job,” Maria said.

But Magowan said he acted on a passion and a desire to do the right thing for Buddy.

“And in the end,” he later declared, “all is as it should be.”

To comment on this story:

william.kerns@lubbockonline.com • 766-8712

leesha.faulkner@lubbockonline.com • 766-8706

Everyday

Lubbock’s most famous native son would turn 75 Wednesday. To honor Buddy Holly and his legacy, the A-J will be running the following stories:

■ Saturday: “Down the Line” A look at James and Patty Simpson’s cornfield maze in Buddy’s likeness.

■ Sunday: “Not Fade Away” — Phil Everly, Graham Nash and a host of others tell A-J entertainment editor Bill Kerns why Buddy’s music remains relevant today.

■ Monday: “Rave On” — How his birthday will be celebrated in Hollywood.

■ Wednesday: “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” — The man responsible for Buddy’s Hollywood Star tells how a dream became reality.

■ Thursday: “Oh Boy!” — Coverage of Buddy’s star on the Walk of Fame; Lubbock’s soiree

■ Friday: “Well … All Right” — Coverage of an all-star concert supporting a second tribute album released this year.

If you miss a day, all these stories and more are on our Buddy Holly Archives at http://www.buddyhollyarchives.com/.
Kevin Magowan
■ Age: 55.
■ Birthday: March 29.
■ Family: Wife Leslie; daughter Kaitlin, 20; son Ryan, 15.
■ Birthplace: Las Vegas, Nev.
■ Home: Burbank, Calif.
■ Occupation: Supervising music clearance, licensing for EMG, Inc. in Studio, City, Calif.
■ I drive: SUV Grand Jeep Cherokee.
■ Favorite music style: Roots rockin’ country rock ’n’ roll / 3 chords and the Truth. I also love heart-filled love songs.
■ Favorite Buddy Holly song: Differs every day; I am in love with “The Apartment Tapes.”
■ Favorite singer, male: Elvis Presley.
■ Favorite singer, female: Judy Garland.
■ Favorite band: The Beatles.
■ Recent CD purchased: “So Beautiful or So What,” by Paul Simon.
■ Favorite concert venue: Greek Theatre.
■ Place I like to take LA visitors: My home.
■ Favorite vacation spot: Somewhere I have not visited before.
■ Favorite book: “Conversations with God, Volume 1.”
■ I am now reading: Music magazines.
■ Favorite movie: “Gone with the Wind.”
■ Last film seen at a theater: “Cowboys and Aliens.”
■ Last film purchased: “Love Eat Pray.”
■ Favorite TV show: “Boardwalk Empire.”
■ Favorite meal: Mexican at El Coyote on Beverly Boulevard in Hollywood.
■ I am aggravated by: People who do not respond.
■ Morning or night person: Both.
■ Coffee or tea: Coffee.
■ “Star Wars” or “Star Trek”: “Star Wars.”
■ Five people, living or dead, I’d like to hang with: Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, John Lennon, Ben Franklin and Mark Twain.
■ One thing my friends don’t know about me: My friends know me.
■ When I want to relax, I: Play my guitar and sing songs I have written (and) covers of Buddy, the Beatles, Dylan and Springsteen.

Today at Buddy Holly Center
■ 11 a.m. — screening of “The Real Buddy Holly Center.”
■ 1:30 p.m. — Streaming Internet coverage of Buddy Holly’s star ceremony on Hollywood Walk of Fame, with presentations by Phil Everly, Peter Asher and Gary Busey.
■ 3 p.m. — Guided tour of Buddy Holly Gallery at Buddy Holly Center, led by center curator Jacqueline Bober. Guest appearance by Ramona and Gary Tollett.
■ 4 p.m. — Buddy’s birthday cake and punch served.
■ 5:30 p.m. — Music by The Prophets of Rockabilly, with special guest J.P. McDermott.
■ 7:30 p.m. — Music by Jack Neal & Friends, tribute to Holly and music historian Bill Griggs.
■ 8 p.m. — Music by Mike Pritchard and Mark Wallney.

Two days after Buddy Holly’s 75th birthday, a tribute concert for the late Bill Griggs will take place from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Friday, at Pub 50, 5001 Ave. Q.

Bill Griggs united more than 4,000 people, from all over the world, loved Buddy Holly and his music and has taught people about Buddy and his family since the 1970s by conducting tours keeping a spotlight on Lubbock for the last 38 years, said Susan Griggs, his widow.

Griggs was inducted into the West Texas Walk of Fame on July 30, 2010, and died from cancer on March 29.

The evening’s entertainment:

■ 9 to 9:30 p.m., “Dangerous Dan” Earnest, Glenn Burch and Bobby McDowell.

■ 9:30 to 10:30 p.m., Mike Pritchard and Mark Wallney.

■ 10:30 p.m. to midnight, Jack Neal, Bartman Carter, Philip Spears and “Dangerous Dan” Earnest.

■ Midnight to 1:30 a.m., “Dangerous Dan” Earnest and friends.

Performers are expected to speak about the late Bill Griggs for a short time before their individual sets begin.

There is no admission charge.

Call 747-4001 for more information.

A broadcast through the Internet and an appearance by the Tolletts represent some of the all-day fun at the Buddy Holly Center, 1801 Crickets Ave., on Wednesday, Buddy Holly’s 75th birthday.

The Center won’t charge admission to view the 90 or so rock ‘n’ roll photographs curated by musician Graham Nash, presently on exhibit.

The exhibit will leave Lubbock Sunday.

Free events

Free events at the Center on Wednesday include:

■ 11 a.m., screening of “The Real Buddy Holly Story.”

■ 1:30 p.m., streaming Internet coverage of the late Buddy Holly’s star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

■ 3 p.m., one-hour tour of the Buddy Holly Gallery provided by BHC curator Jacqueline Bober with Gary and Ramona Tollett, who knew Buddy well and sang backup on “That’ll Be the Day.”

■ 4:30 p.m., Buddy’s birthday cake and punch will be served. No charge. The Tolletts will lead a rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

■ 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., The Prophets of Rockabilly.

■ 7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Jack Neal, who performed with Holly as a teenager, and his friends will pay tribute to the late rock ‘n’ roll historian Bill Griggs.

■ 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Mike Pritchard and Mark Wallney will end the day by paying tribute to Buddy, rock ’n’ roll and Griggs.

Day’s details

Scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., “The Real Buddy Holly Story,” is a documentary financed by former Beatle Paul McCartney as his personal reaction to the inaccuracies in the 1978 movie “The Buddy Holly Story,” starring Gary Busey.

At 1:30 p.m. Lubbock time, coverage of the star ceremony in Hollywood, Calif., will begin, streamed live over the Internet to the Center.

The ceremony will include an introduction of Buddy Holly’s widow, Maria Elena Holly.

The president of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will announce Buddy Holly and Louis Prima each receiving a 300-pound star set into a concrete block on Hollywood Boulevard.

Then, three supporters will honor Holly with brief speeches. Those three include: Phil Everly, of the Everly Brothers and one of Buddy Holly’s close friends; Peter Asher, formerly of Peter & Gordon and an internationally respected music producer of the new “Listen to Me” Holly tribute CD; and Busey, Oscar-nominated actor for his starring role in “The Buddy Holly Story.”

Expect Holly supporters to swarm to the Center, reportedly the only place for live coverage of the event.

Curator confident

Well-known Holly historian Griggs succumbed to cancer March 29. Holly supporters depended on Griggs’ personal asides while offering each year’s tour. This year, curator Bober must fill his shoes.

She is confident.

“I will try to do Bill justice,” she began. “But we are honored to have Gary and Ramona Tollett with us, too.”

Visitors to the Center want to see Holly’s glasses and his Fender Stratocaster, Bober said.

She will point out some childhood drawings of the late singer, Bober said.

When she reaches the point where Holly hit it big with “That’ll Be the Day,” Gary and Ramona Tollett can help.

This Lubbock couple met Buddy at the Arnett-Benson Drug Store and became fast friends.

The Tolletts sang beautifully, and Holly asked them to drive with him to the Norman Petty Studio in Clovis, N.M., and sing backup on a demonstration record.

They made a bargain, agreeing to take part if Holly would promise to play guitar later when Gary Tollett recorded his own demos. No one would be paid.

Holly said yes and kept his promise.

The Tolletts and Holly waited until 9 p.m. to record in Clovis because of outdoor street noise.

They devoted three hours to making an acceptable recording of the flip side song, “Looking for Someone to Love.”

But the Tolletts said that everyone performed “That’ll Be the Day” so well, after the third run-through, producer Petty was satisfied.

Performers fooled

Nearly everyone in the room thought they had recorded a demo.

They were fooled.

Petty turned the recording into a master, and the song shot up the music charts in no time.

Everyone here and abroad assumed drummer Jerry Allison, guitarist Niki Sullivan and Joe B. Mauldin on standing bass, known as the Crickets, had overdubbed those background vocals.

Not so.

Petty asked Gary Tollett, Ramona Tollett and Cricket Niki Sullivan to sing background vocals simultaneously into one microphone while Holly played guitar and sang lead for “That’ll Be the Day.”

The song became famous in 1957 and 1958.

“Nobody at all knew who we were until we met with Bill Griggs for the first time in Lubbock in the 1990s,” Gary Tollett said. “Our part of ‘That’ll Be the Day’ came out in conversation, and Bill reported it. Then (author) John Goldrosen mentioned us in his biography of Holly.”

Rollercoaster Records

In 1999, British author John Beecher obtained masters recorded by Gary Tollett with Holly playing guitar, and they were released for the first time in England on Beecher’s Rollercoaster Records.

The Tolletts likely will share their story during Wednesday’s tour.

Ramona Tollett says she is most proud of being the only female to ever record with Buddy at the same time on one track.

Local musician Mike Pritchard considers it an honor to close Wednesday’s birthday celebration.

“Having literally grown up here, and being lifelong friends with the Holley family, it has even more meaning. My father, John Pritchard, was good friends with Larry and Travis Holley. And Buddy’s nephew, Eddy Weir, and I have known each other since we both attended J.T. Hutchinson Jr. High and are good friends today.”

Pritchard said he and Mark Wallney might perform a song or two from Holly’s songbook. It depends on what others have sung already.

“Thirty minutes is a short time. … It’s going to be fun any way you shake it,” Pritchard said.

To comment on this story:

william.kerns@lubbockonline.com • 766-8712

shelly.gonzales@lubbockonline.com • 766-8747

Everyday

Lubbock’s most famous native son would turn 75 Wednesday. To honor Buddy Holly and his legacy, the A-J will be running the following stories:

■ Saturday: “Down the Line” A look at James and Patty Simpson’s cornfield maze in Buddy’s likeness.

■ Sunday: “Not Fade Away” — Phil Everly, Graham Nash and a host of others tell A-J entertainment editor Bill Kerns why Buddy’s music remains relevant today.

■ Monday: “Rave On” — How his birthday will be celebrated in Hollywood.

■ Wednesday: “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” — The man responsible for Buddy’s Hollywood Star tells how a dream became reality.

■ Thursday: “Oh Boy!” — Coverage of Buddy’s star on the Walk of Fame; Lubbock’s soiree

■ Friday: “Well … All Right” — Coverage of an all-star concert supporting a second tribute album released this year.

If you miss a day, all these stories and more are on our Buddy Holly Archives at http://www.buddyhollyarchives.com/.