"The Day the Music Died"

"The day the music died" was 65 years ago today. 

Back in the late '90s, there was an interesting show on VH-1 about "The Day the Music Died." I think it's on YouTube now. The "Winter Dance Party" was a series of midwestern concerts, so that rural and small town kids could enjoy these music stars in person. But there were very long bus trips in winter weather between concerts. So, a frustrated Buddy Holly chartered a plane for himself and two of his band members to get to the next gig early. Big Bopper had the flu and asked Holly's bassist Waylon Jennings to give up his seat for him, and Ritchie Valens made a coin toss with guitarist Tommy Allsup and got on the plane instead. Of course, all three musicians and the pilot were killed in the early morning of February 3, 1959. Don McLean's 1971 song "American Pie" really brought their memory back permanently into popular consciousness.

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