Today in music history, 1959: J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson, Buddy Holly, and Ritchie Valens perished in a plane crash after leaving Clear Lake, Iowa. Holly had chartered a plane after the heating system of the Winter Dance Party Tour bus failed. Waylon Jennings, who was touring with Holly, gave his seat to The Big Bopper, who was running a fever. Tommy Allsup, another of Holly’s touring mates, lost a coin toss to Valens.
We remember the fantastic music that these men left for us.
