A Sad Day For Music 55 Years Ago

Some say February 3rd, is “The day the music died.” It was on this date back in 1959, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper lost their lives when their small plane crashed in a snowstorm shortly after take-off from Mason City, Iowa. They had decided to pay for plane tickets instead of taking the bus to Fargo, North Dakota and the next gig. At the last minute, Holly's bass player, Waylon Jennings, gave up his seat so that the Big Bopper could make the flight.

Don McLean's song "American Pie" is inspired by Buddy Holly and the day of the plane crash. The album American Pie is dedicated to Buddy Holly.