Photos of Buddy Holly's last performance sought Oct 29, 2008
The documentary is about The Winter Dance Party, including the concert where Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson performed before they boarded a plane that crashed in a field north of Clear Lake. In particular, Garabedian is looking for photos taken by a 14-year-old girl that night. (Sioux City Journal, IO)
Rock legend salutes his heroes Oct 24, 2008
" Dion was in the middle of much of this history. He knew a number of rock pioneers personally. With his old group, the Belmonts, he was on the ill-fated Winter Dance Party tour during which which Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens lost their lives in a 1959 plane crash. Dion would have been on the plane himself but didn't want to part with the $36 fee, a fortune to a boy who grew up poor in the Bronx. He's even on the cover of the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," one of... (CNN -- Showbiz)
Talented faculty takes to the stage Oct 23, 2008
After a brief intermission, Principal Charlie Naso had the audience standing with a distinctive version of the Big Bopper s classic Chantilly Lace. Then drama teacher Mahon and art teacher Erika Defeo dressed up in doll costumes to offer their take on companionship to the sound of You ve Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman and Lyle Lovett. (Saugus Advertiser, MA)
One hero salutes other ones Oct 14, 2008
A 45-minute DVD is attached in which he shares personal reminiscences, reaching an emotional peak with a story about giving up his seat to Valens on the fateful 1959 plane crash that killed Valens, Holly, and the Big Bopper. The DVD alone is worth the price of the record. (Boston Globe)
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Surf Ballroom & Museum to Honor 50 Year Anniversary of the Winter Dance Party Oct 14, 2008
CLEVELAND, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Surf Ballroom & Museum will commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Winter Dance Party where rock and roll pioneers Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens played their final concert on February 2, 1959 ... Now, 50 Winters Later, a weeklong celebration at the Surf Ballroom & Museum will begin on Wednesday, January 28, 2009 honoring the lives, music, and influence of Holly, The Big Bopper... (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Surf seeks Buddy Holly memories Oct 4, 2008
A week-long celebration is scheduled to take place beginning Monday, Jan. 26, and will feature concerts, educational programs and appearances by family and friends of Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. The Big Bopper Richardson ... Panel members would describe the last performances by Holly, the Big Bopper and Valens, along with reflections of hearing the news of the crash. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
Palmdale Playhouse to host Buddy Holly tribute Sep 10, 2008
"'John Mueller's Winter Dance Party' is a live, authentic recreation of the final tour of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper," said Playhouse Marketing Manager David A. Smith ... This high voltage concert features John Mueller, acclaimed former star of the London/Broadway hit musical "Buddy...the Buddy Holly Story," Ray Anthony, renowned star of Las Vegas' "'Legends of Rock and Roll" as Ritchie Valens and Jay P. Richardson Jr., the actual son of the Big Bopper himself. (Los Angeles Daily News)
Former Buddy Holly guitarist and Grammy Award-winner Tommy Allsup is shown playing with Johnny Rogers who performs as Buddy Holly. Sep 8, 2008
Hollys bass player, a young man named Waylon Jennings, offered his seat to J.P. Richardson, known as the Big Bopper, who had the flu and needed to get to a doctor. Another member of the Winter Dance Party tour was 17-year-old Ritchie Valens. (Altus Times, OK)
Buddy Holly Music Collectibles Sep 3, 2008
Buddy Holly, along with singers Ritchie Valens, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and pilot Roger Peterson, died in a private plane crash on February 3, 1959 ... Hand-lettered 1959 poster, Holly, Valens, The Big Bopper, "Dead in Crash" ($3,585). (Suite101.com)
Spanky’s at the Hop shines as new ‘50s-themed restaurant Jul 25, 2008
There s the Bobby Sox Burger, the Sh-Boom Burger, the Big Bopper, the Juke-Box Doggie and about a dozen delicious sides including freshly cut French fries, onion rings, potato salad and cole slaw. Wolfman a six-ounce rib-eye steak on an onion bun with grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, topped with onion straws and a pickle spear on the side sounds absolutely appealing. (Green Valley News & Sun, AZ)
Surf Ballroom, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announce partnership Jun 29, 2008
As the last concert venue for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, the Surf Ballroom is the bedrock of where the sound and attitude of rock and roll changed forever. The legacy of these artists is sustained in their pioneering efforts, vision and influence on the musicians that came after them. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
Fremont Street Experience Hosts a Patriotic 'American Pie 4th of July' Weekend Jun 27, 2008
McLean's most famous composition, "American Pie" is a sprawling, impressionistic ballad inspired partly by the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) in a plane crash in 1959. The song would popularize the expression "The Day the Music Died" in reference to this event. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Surf to mark 60th anniversary Jun 26, 2008
The Surf entered the national consciousness when on Feb. 3, 1959, a plane carrying Buddy Holly, J.P. The Big Bopper Richardson and Ritchie Valens crashed just north of the Mason City Airport in Clear Lake after playing the Surf ... J.P. Richardson Jr. will play his father The Big Bopper and Ray Anthony will portray Ritchie Valens. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
Surf's 60th anniversary celebration starts June 27 Jun 21, 2008
J.P. Richardson Jr. will play his father The Big Bopper and Ray Anthony will portray Ritchie Valens. They re going to put on a great show, said Laurie Lietz, executive director of the non-profit North Iowa Cultural Center and Museum. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
Western Swing Music coming to Quartz Mountain Lodge May 13, 2008
Richie Valens and the Big Bopper ... He continued playing with Buddy until the fatal plane crash that took Buddy's life, along with the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. (Altus Times, OK)
Too fast, too young Apr 21, 2008
Buddy Holly (22) had only been a successful musician for a year and a half on 3 February 1959 when he together with Ritchie Valens (17) and Rocer J.P. Richardson aka the Big Bopper (28) died in a plane crash. The day was subsequently dubbed the day the music died. (iAfrica.com)
Laura Bush High School Reunion Apr 3, 2008
Lauras tastes ranged from Elvis and the Beatles to the Neville Brothers, Ray Charles, Joan Baez, the Crickets, Little Richard, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, the Big Bopper, Lenny Welch, and Little Willie John. She especially liked Buddy Holly, who was from Lubbock, Texas, and Roy Orbison, who was from Odessa. (Newsmax)
Rock Show Revisits Feb 22, 2008
February marks the 50th anniversary of the Grammy Awards, in which Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard performed just over one week ago; it also marks the 49th anniversary of the "Day the Music Died," the plane crash near Clear Lake that claimed the lives of Valens, Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. The Originators of Rock show will salute all three artists with renditions of their most popular hits. (Sioux City Journal, IO)
THE FIRST RACE Feb 17, 2008
3) music lost Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in a plane crash in Mason City, Iowa. Born that year: NASCAR driver Mark Martin, singer Sade, tennis star John McEnroe, actors Kevin Spacey and Val Kilmer, basketball legend Magic Johnson, singer Marie Osmond, comedians Tracy Ullman and Paula Poundstone, country singers Randy Travis and Mary Chapin Carpenter. (Daytona Beach News Journal)
The day the music died ... or did it? Feb 7, 2008
February 3, 1959 -- youngsters all across the nation awoke to startling news: Three rock 'n' roll icons -- Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and "the Big Bopper" J.P. Richardson -- died in a plane crash en route to Minnesota. The plane hardly left the ground before it plummeted; investigators later blamed the tragedy on bad weather and pilot error. (The Cavalier Daily, VA)
Allen Bloom, at 72; promoted circus and musical acts Feb 3, 2008
His hard-earned experience also included the tragic: The plane crash that killed Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson (the Big Bopper) was during a Feld Productions tour, advanced by Mr. Bloom. His foray into circus promotion came about when the sequins had lost their sparkle and the growls of lions echoed to Big Top emptiness. (Boston Globe)
Click for Full Story Feb 3, 2008
Forty-nine years ago today in 1959, a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, claimed the lives of rock-and-roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson ... Today's Highlight in History:On February 3, 1959, a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, claimed the lives of rock-and-roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. (KWTX.com, TX)
Rare and true Feb 2, 2008
Her friend Buddy Holly, along with Ritchie Valens, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and pilot Roger Peterson were killed when their plane crashed just moments after take-off from the Mason City airport on Feb. 3, 1959, following a performance at the Surf. "It was so cold last night. The plane was dark. I just sat there and reflected. It was really a moment," Gerron said. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Fifties in February starts to swing Feb 1, 2008
She saw Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. The Big Bopper Richardson perform at the Laramar Ballroom in Fort Dodge the night before their fateful appearance at the Surf Ballroom in February 1959. We re waiting for next year to get here. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
Valentines From Kentucky Jan 27, 2008
The big bopper of romance can be found at in Madisonville on February 14th. The sounds of rock n'roll presented by local favorite nostalgic revue band the Van Dells, bring back the happy days of the '50s and '60s. (Suite101.com)
Buddy Holly's Widow Threatens To Sue Peggy Sue Buddy Holly's widow is trying to keep the woman whose name was made famous by the hit song "Peggy Sue" from selling a book about the rock 'n' roll pioneer. More... Jan 14, 2008
The star was killed on February 3, 1959, in a plane crash, along with singers Ritchie Valens and JP 'The Big Bopper' Richardson. Holly was 22. (Sky News)
More of this story Jan 11, 2008
"There are stars across the top for him. And we have an area dedicated to Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valence who died in a plane crash. There's a poster of theirs for a winter dance (in Clear Lake, Iowa.) It cost 1.25 to get in. Can you believe that?". Richardson is also working on a "Wall of Fame," where pictures of local people "with their rides," either motorcycles or other vehicles, will be hung. (Bogalusa Daily News, LA)
The Music of Buddy Holly And The Crickets Jan 4, 2008
This is a trite doco-by-numbers about the 1950s rock'n'roll star who died in a plane crash with the Big Bopper and Richie Valens in 1959. The archival footage is limited, restricting the doco mainly to a series of still photos and wrinkled talking heads who all seem to start with "I first met Buddy Holly back in 1953 ...". (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Huckabee charm plays well in Iowa Dec 2, 2007
The historic venue, of course, was where Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens played hours before dying in a plane crash in 1959. Music, like religion, goes to the soul of the Baptist preacher-turned-politician. (The Palm Beach Post)
Huckabee: Rock star status based on political post Oct 18, 2007
The Surf Ballroom was the venue Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper played before a fatal plane crash in 1959, a fact not lost on Huckabee. "I will not be flying out that night," he said to laughter at a Manchester law firm. (Concord Monitor)
Tribute bands fill North County venues Sep 21, 2007
Actor/musician John Mueller heads up the cast of this live music/theater show that re-creates the final date of the Winter Dance Party, the ill-fated winter concert tour that included Buddy Holly, J.T. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Latino pop star Ritchie Valens ... Jay P. Richardson Jr., the son of the Big Bopper, steps in to fill his father's shoes. (North County Times)
Untold Story of The Big Bopper Timed for 50th Anniversary of THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED Sep 18, 2007
HOUSTON, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Potion Pictures announced today pre-production of THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED, the story of The Big Bopper, who died in the infamous plane crash on February 3, 1959, with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. J.P. "Jape" Richardson, Jr. was riding high on the success of his gold record CHANTILLY LACE when he died in a frozen Iowa cornfield during the Winter Dance Party Tour. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
'Buddy' star reprises role for Welk's production Jul 12, 2007
It also features some of the big names of the time, such as Richie Valens and The Big Bopper, as well as Holly's wife, Maria. The focus is on the music, with songs such as "Peggy Sue," "Johnny B. Goode" and "That'll Be the Day." The show is the second-longest running musical in London. (North County Times)
Don McLean to play at State Theatre during Fest Jul 11, 2007
"American Pie" is usually interpreted as a response to "The Day the Music Died," when rock musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash. McLean has stated that he would rather not explain the lyrics and leave it to stand to interpretations, though he has confirmed the first verse, at least, does refer to Holly. (Daily Collegian, PA)
'American Pie' Was A Long, Long Time Ago Jul 9, 2007
He was a 13-year-old paperboy on February 3, 1959, when he delivered the news that three pioneers of rock 'n' roll Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper and Buddy Holly had died in a plane crash. "I was always interested in the in in the American experience. And I suddenly, in my little head, I realized that I could use rock 'n' roll and the story of rock 'n' roll and forward-moving lyrics, starting with the death of Buddy Holly, to tell the story of America," he said. (CBS News)
Out of the way Iowa Jul 8, 2007
Personally, I wanted to see where the music died, but the farm field near Clear Lake where a plane crashed in 1959 carrying Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens would have meant a half-day detour. Still, I strolled through picture-perfect towns such as Pella, ate a banana split for breakfast at the ice cream capital of the world in Le Mars and watched a young businessman from Cincinnati knock my hanging curveball into the corn stubble beyond the Field of Dreams in Dyersville. (DeKalb Daily Chronicle, IL)
Buddy Holly stands larger than life nearly 50 years after he and his music died Jul 1, 2007
He was 22 when he died in 1959 in a plane crash that also killed Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. The song "American Pie" recalled this tragedy as "the day the music died," but Holly's influence lived on in the Beatles (Paul McCartney owns Holly's song catalog), in Bob Dylan (who saw Holly perform two nights before the crash), and in a majestic array of hits that had me psyched to make a long-dreamed-of pilgrimage to the singer's West Texas hometown and to the studio across the New Mexico... (Boston Globe)
A Star is Born Jun 28, 2007
The Buddy Holly Story is a musical celebration of Holly, who shot to stardom in 1957 but died in a plane crash two years later alongside J.P. Richardson, also known as the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens, famous for his hit "La Bamba." Mr. Cohen, who saw The Buddy Holly Story at the beginning of its 14-year run in London, says the show meshes well with current musical interests. "Right now, there is very much a resurgence of doo-wop and rock 'n' roll. A lot of towns are sponsoring doo-wop... (Hopewell Valley News, NJ)
Crews Attempt To Contain Lake Tahoe Fire Jun 26, 2007
Pictured: Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. Sponsored Links. (NBC4.tv, CA)
Internet radio webcasters plan silent protest Jun 23, 2007
And although the situation is nowhere near as devastating as Feb. 3, 1959, the day musicians Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens died in a plane crash, U.S. webcasters say the impending royalty rate increase would lead to the virtual shutdown of this country s Internet radio industry. The arbitrary and drastic rate increases set by the Copyright Royalty Board on March 2 threaten the very livelihood of thousands of webcasters and their millions of listeners throughout the country, said... (MacCentral)
Five Up, Five Down Jun 23, 2007
The Big Bopper: Matt Holliday Quite possibly the most underrated player in the National League, Holliday leads the Senior Circuit with a. 366 batting average. (SportsIllustrated.CNN)
High marks for "The Constant Wife" in Stratford May 19, 2007
Imagine attending the last concert that Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens performed on stage together ... Jeffrey Holmes as the Big Bopper jumps into the audience and turns the show into a party. (Stratford Star, CT)
St. Paddy's parties Mar 16, 2007
Tree Top Lounge, Avista Resort, 300 N. Ocean Blvd., North Myrtle Beach will hold The Big Bopper Show St. Patrick's Day Party on Saturday from 9 p.m.-midnight. No cover. (Myrtle Beach Online, FL -- Entertainment)
College financial aid offerd at MPHS Mar 8, 2007
The Winter Dance Party Scholarship This $500 scholarship was established to commemorate the life and contributions of the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, Roger Peterson (pilot), and Darrel Hein (Winter Dance Party organizer). Candidates for this scholarship must meet the following criteria: be enrolling in a college as a music major; be a graduating senior from an Iowa high school; submit documentation of cumulative GPA; submit a one page essay entitled, "Why I have chosen to major in... (Kalona News, IA)
Big Bopper autopsy debunks gun rumors Mar 7, 2007
J.P. The Big Bopper Richardson most likely died immediately after suffering massive fractures in a legendary 1959 plane crash, a forensic anthropologist said Tuesday ... - J.P. The Big Bopper Richardson suffered massive fractures and likely died immediately in the 1959 plane crash that also killed early rock n rollers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, a forensic anthropologist said Tuesday after exhuming the body ... There have been rumors a gun might have been fired on board the... (MSNBC -- Music)
Forensic expert says Big Bopper died instantly in '59 plane crash that killed rockers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens Mar 7, 2007
Jay Richardson, who performs in tribute shows as "The Big Bopper Jr.," didn't know his father, who gained fame with the hit "Chantilly Lace." His mother was pregnant with him when his father died. The Civil Aeronautics Board determined pilot error was the cause of the crash. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Big Boppers Remains Exhumed, Lingering Questions Answered Mar 7, 2007
(March 6, 2007)--The remains of legendary singer J.P. Richardson, known to many as "The Big Bopper," were exhumed Tuesday morning at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Beaumont. The singer from Beaumont died almost 50-years ago in a plane crash, along with musicians Buddy Holly and Richie Valens. (KWTX.com, TX)
Big Bopper Rumors Put To Rest Mar 7, 2007
Flowers adourn a memorial Feb. 6, 1999, at the spot where the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and their pilot Roger Peterson crashed, killing all aboard Feb. 3, 1959, near Clear Lake, Iowa ... (AP) J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson suffered massive fractures and likely died immediately in the 1959 plane crash that also killed early rock 'n' rollers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, a forensic anthropologist said Tuesday after exhuming the body ... There... (CBS News -- US)
For sure: "The Big Bopper" died in plane crash Mar 7, 2007
BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhuanet) -- No gun was involved and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died immediately from massive fractures in the 1959 plane crash that also killed early rock 'n' rollers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, according to a forensic anthropologist Tuesday. The findings by Dr. Bill Bass put to rest rumors a gun might have been fired on the plane and the Big Bopper might have survived the crash and died trying to help ... Jay Richardson, who performs in tribute shows as "The Big... (Xinhuanet, China)
Doo-wop star Dion discusses spirituality Mar 4, 2007
He spoke of his Bronx upbringing, his early fame and the fateful Winter Dance Party tour of 1959 when he opted not to take the doomed charter flight that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. DiMucci, 67, also spoke of his drug- and alcohol-fueled excesses in the 1960s before he realized "I really was a lost sinner" and came to faith in Jesus Christ. (The Palm Beach Post)
A pie in the sky comes crashing down to earth Feb 8, 2007
an old Latin folk song that no one could understand, and the Big Bopper seemed to be famous for saying "Oh baby, you know what I like" into a telephone, much like Shane Warne. Miles Davis had recorded Kind of Blue, and Charles Mingus Mingus Ah Um. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Standing-room-only crowd jams the Surf Feb 3, 2007
Tom recalled the day in 1989 when he was wondering if the community had a remembrance of some sort for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. The Big Bopper Richardson, all of whom perished in a plane crash just north of the Mason City Airport on Feb. 3,1959, following a performance at the Surf. He was in luck. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
Rochette first, Hawker second and Leung third after short program Jan 19, 2007
The Big Bopper, who died in a 1959 plane crash that also killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, will be exhumed in an attempt to clear up a mystery around their deaths. Two U.S. researchers are presenting a study aimed at identifying the "bottleneck" in the brain that makes it hard for people to multitask as a reason to avoid talking on a cellphone while driving. (CBC News)
Big Boppers Son Looks For Answers Jan 18, 2007
(January 17, 2007)-The son of the "The Big Bopper" says he's hired a famous forensic anthropologist to exhume his father's remains from his Beaumont grave ... Jay Richardson never knew his father, J. P. Richardson, who was better known as "The Big Bopper.". (KWTX.com, TX)
Big Bopper's Son Wants Mystery Solved Jan 18, 2007
In this Feb. 6, 1999, photo, flowers adorn a memorial at the spot where the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and their pilot, Roger Peterson, crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa, on Feb. 3, 1959, killing all four men ... (AP) The son of "The Big Bopper" has hired a forensic anthropologist to try to answer questions about how his father died in the 1959 plane crash that also took the lives of famous early rock 'n' rollers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens ...... (CBS News -- US)
Questions Linger About Death of 'The Big Bopper' Jan 18, 2007
Questions Linger About Death of 'The Big Bopper ... Questions Linger About Death of 'The Big Bopper ... -- The son of "The Big Bopper" has hired a forensic anthropologist to try to answer questions about how his father died in the 1959 plane crash that also took the lives of famous early rock 'n' rollers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. (Newsmax)
Son of Big Bopper Hopes Exam of Father's Remains Will Answer Questions Jan 18, 2007
The son of "The Big Bopper" has hired a forensic anthropologist to try to answer questions about how his father died in the 1959 plane crash that also took the lives of famous early rock `n' rollers and. who performs tribute shows as "The Big Bopper Jr.," hopes an examination of his father's remains will settle rumors a gun might have been fired on board the plane, and tell whether the Big Bopper might have survived the crash impact and died trying to go for help. (Fox News -- Life)
Born-again bluesman Jan 5, 2007
In 1959 his group, the Belmonts, went on tour with Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. The Winter Dance Party was a freezing three-week trudge through the mid-west on a bus with broken heating and by February 3 Holly had had enough. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
