Charles Hardin Holley: September 17, 1936 – February 3, 1959.
Richard Steven Valenzuela: May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959.
Jiles Perry Richardson, Jr.: October 24, 1930 – February 3, 1959.

Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper all taken from us in an instant. I was alive when it happened, but too young to appreciate the music or who these people actually were at that time.

I never understood how American Pie ever presumed to encapsulate the events of February 3, 1959; it’s a good song and all, but the events of that cold Iowa night are best remembered by the influence each of these three musicians has had on the evolution of music.

So, I’ll leave y’all with one of these classic performers, on another classic show of the day:

-k-