The Day the Music Did Not (Really) Die

It was 55 years ago today that the plane went down carrying Holly, Valens and Bopper to their deaths.  No, the music did not "die" but it was a terrible loss.  Coolest photo of Buddy ever, at left, shows hm with Waylon Jennings--who gave up his seat on that plane for Buddy on that fateful night.

Thirty years ago, with David Corn and the rest of my Nuclear Times crew, we held a  25th anniversary party in NYC.  Beforehand, I managed to get the phone number of Buddy's mom--still in Lubbock, Texas (she was listed in the phone book under true name "Holley")--and taped a little chat that we had.  Nice lady.  Then I borrowed from Garry Tallent a recent British documentary on Buddy that was made by Paul McCartney.   Then we had our party, with Corn singing and playing some Buddy.  Shocking guests, I told them that Buddy and wife were actually living on lower Fifth Avenue at the time of his death.  So we walked over to that large building.   Corn sang another song.  Doorman had no idea who Buddy was....

As for that death-of-music claim:  Rock n' roll was already in decline and the plane crash sure didn't help.  But soon Motown, the Beach Boys, Roy Orbison, Phil Spector and others arrived to save the day....

Below, it's Gary Busey closing out the famed bio pic of Buddy, at concert just before Buddy took off on his fateful fatal flight.  Do you need to be reminded that Gary, now one big punchline, got an Oscar nomination for that role?  -- G.M.