What Really Happened The Day Music Died | REACTION

Video link • What Really Happened t...
My Merch jamel-aka-jama...

[@karenyoung4260]

When Reba McIntyre’s plane went down with her band several years ago, Waylon Jennings was the only phone call she would take.

[@hgodvilla00]

The plane crash that killed all of the members of Reba McIntyre's band was several decades ago, not years ago.

[@phil-1115]

Waylon told this story and you are correct.

[@batmanforpresident9655]

February 3, 1959, Buddy Holly, J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson and Richie Valens died in a tragic plane crash. They are immortalized in Don McLean's brilliant summation of the 60's and 70's, which details his feelings after that tragic historical date in "American Pie", which refers to that day as 'the day the music died', is the greatest piece of music ever written May they all R.I.P.

[@scottblitz4191]

Don was asked in San interview what American Pie means and his response was legendary It means I don’t have to work another day in my life

[@scottblitz4191]

That’s very true

[@sallyintucson]

Home Free was asked by Don McLean to do a 50th anniversary of the song with him. Look it up, it’s good!

[@sallyintucson]

@Atheos B. Sapien It’s a famous song about a tragedy. What a negative person you are.

[@Lakeshore14]

There were two movies that covered the lives of two of the musicians. LaBamba is the story of Richie Valens and the Buddy Holly Story which covered Buddy Holly. I don’t know of a movie made of the Big Bopper. You definitely need to hear American Pie by Don McLean. I do remember when the crash happened and it was a very sad time.

[@foxymacadoo]

Both movies are good. Worth watching. There is no movie about the Big Bopper … yet.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

​@@foxymacadoo They are both very good films, I agree. The Buddy Holly Story was great because the actors played and sang all the music live, it really gave it an authentic edge. Gary Busey looked nothing like Buddy Holly but his performance was excellent. La Bamba was more ambitious but a really interesting movie and Lou Diamond Phillips really immersed himself in the role. I'm not sure what you could do with the Big Bopper's life to make a film out of it, but as you say.. no movie... yet.

[@stanleywiggins5047]

When watching Jamal reaction to this video this 64 year old Aussie cried

[@shawnj1966]

@@foxymacadoo , He wasn't the star that the others were at the time. Waylon Jennings, who later achieved legendary status as a country singer, was part of Buddy Holly's band and was supposed to be on that flight.

[@foxymacadoo]

@@shawnj1966 I already know that lol

[@fittrad3r687]

"American Pie" One of the greatest songs ever written. If you did not grow up in the 60s and 70s you can't really understand the lyrics meanings. Simply brilliant.

[@itslikethesamebutdifferent8020]

One of the saddest tragedies in rock n roll. As you said, what makes this even sadder is Ritchie’s fear of flying. I can’t begin to imagine what must’ve been going through his mind the moment he realized he was about to die in a plane crash. RIP to all involved.

[@terri2494]

At age seventeen. So sad.

[@annmills3163]

So sad we lost them but very happy we still have Dion and had Waylon for as long as we did ☮️💜

[@kenmcmillan2637]

It was a very, very sad day where I'm from, Lubbock, Tx, which is also Buddy's hometown. Buddy also influenced the Stones. Buddy was HUGE in England, even bigger there than in the USA. Make no mistake, "America Pie'" lyric "The Day the Music Died" was solely about Buddy. Not even have I heard Don McLean say that in an interview: “I still remember this light going off in my head as I was sitting up in my little room writing my songs and thinking about Buddy Holly and just how sad that was and how much I loved that guy, and how much I loved his music and how much I felt for him… I started to write this ‘A long, long time ago’ about how it felt when I was a paperboy and I opened up these papers… and this whole fantasy came out and the song was written”, but note some of the lyrics: "But February made me shiver With every paper I’d deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn’t take one more step I can’t remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride But something touched me deep inside The day the music died" You guys are correct. If he had lived, he would have been up there with the Beatles. So sad!!

[@hughfoshee85]

As others mentioned, this was the inspiration for Don McLean's song. Buddy Holly's sound was really influential in early rock and roll. The Beatles took the idea for their name from Holly's band, The Crickets.

[@Stoney_Snark]

There’s also “The Buddy Holly Story” starring Gary Bussey. It’s a pretty good biopic, and tells the story pretty well.

[@bigbow62]

Gary Busey did an excellent job playing Buddy Holly and he actually sang the songs ! He was also nominated for an Academy Award ✌😎

[@ranger-1214]

Gary was in Tulsa and doing some weird late-night skits during movie breaks, along with Gailard Sartain, but was also a good singer as well as drummer. With two guys from my little hometown in Oklahoma, they started The Rubber Band and were really good. The three went to California to play and Gary got into acting, while the other two stayed in music in New York, etc. The Buddy Holly Story is a really good movie, and Gary was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award but didn't win.

[@MysterySp0t]

Excellent movie! Buddy Holly’s career was very short. Had he not died in that plane crash I wonder how he would have handled his fame? And what level of fame would he achieve?

[@shoknifeman2mikado135]

BS, it's a 90 min pack of lies

[@Stoney_Snark]

@@shoknifeman2mikado135 , wow your tone makes you sound like a freak.

[@tuijakantola6550]

I still listen to Buddy Holly, and some songs of Richie Valens. I am born way after they died, but their songs will live forever.

[@backforblood3421]

It's funny you mention that thing about the actors dying, because I clearly remember that it was during that period that I first realized and considered the fact that I would die one day.

[@edithmaxim2041]

The Buddy Holly movie was really good with Gary Busey playing Buddy.

[@thomastimlin1724]

1978. Gary Busey was nominated for Best Actor Oscar. He didn't win of course.

[@krisfrederick5001]

Music never dies, that's the beauty of it.

[@shizueleighhicks6174]

I’m 70. This is still a shock. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@sewermachine462]

I would love to see a reaction to Waylon Jennings! Especially the song I've Always Been Crazy. He makes a reference to the crash in the lyrics. Such a great and well written song. He was definitely The Country Music Badass!!! RIP

[@grahamjones3259]

The catalogue of songs they left behind was incredible, and it’s because of that we can all relate why they called it the day music died. I’d recommend the Buddy Holly movie. In fact, there’s a scene in it when they play the Apollo, which is up on KZbin somewhere. We’ll worth a watch.

[@shoknifeman2mikado135]

Also a pack of lies... the movie says that when the audience heard the Crickets, they were immediately won over, BS, they bombed for the first 3 days, then for the evening show of the 3rd night, Buddy got an idea, he scrapped the Crickets songs and they played every R&B/Black group song they knew (The music the Harlem kids were used to) beginning with "Bo Didley" and THAT is how they won over the crowd at the Apollo! If you want to know the TRUE story, check out "The real Buddy Holly Story", a documentary film, by Paul McCartney! (Yes, of the Beatles)

[@jackhogston6119]

Jamel, the reason you haven't heard more from Ritchie Valens is that his career was only just beginning when all this happened. He'd only released a couple of records. When the crash happened, he was just 17 years old.

[@Mary-cm1ks]

I I think the song Oh Donna by Ritchie Valens what is one of the ones I love the most because it was about his girlfriend

[@gerardroll6468]

Jamel… This was like watching an episode of Air Crash Investigation, who have covered many well known deaths of famous people in plane crashes & that infamous “coin toss”, which pretty much sealed Valens’ fate is very well known, especially to those who have seen La Bamba & know the famous… Dare I say legendary & iconic song “American Pie”, by Don McLean ✊️😔

[@terri2494]

Legendary and iconic. A fitting description. 👍🏻

[@gerardroll6468]

@@terri2494 … Hey, what else could it be described as??? I’m not a fan of his but that song sticks in my head like gravy on mash potatoes ☝️😆. I’ve heard many artists try to sing or recreate the magic of the original but Don made that song all his own & more power to him for doing so. For me personally, music died in 1977 when Elvis passed away as I grew up in a family full of Elvis fans & I couldn’t figure out why my parents were so upset after I got home after a day out.

[@gerardroll6468]

@@terri2494 .. Who over the age of 30 WOULDN’T know that song??? It’s one of the most famous songs of all time ✋️😁

[@mickie-fielden5629]

Poor Waylon Jennings, That Must've Been So Horrible To Carry That Kind Of Guilt Around For Years... That Was One Of The Saddest Days In Music History For Sure, To Lose 3 Beautiful Musicians At The Same Time And In Such A Terrible Tragedy...

[@kathyblackwell4108]

Yes it was I wasn't even born at the time but I love all three of them I do still listen to their music and I have watched both of the movies a few times!!

[@mickie-fielden5629]

@@kathyblackwell4108 It Happened 2 years Before I Was Born , But I Remember People Were Still Talking About It In 1961.. I Watched The Movies Once and Cried ... I Love The Music Though ...🌹❤️

[@MichaelSSmith-hs5pw]

Waylon Jennings felt guilty about what he said all his life. He died feeling guilty about what he said.

[@mickie-fielden5629]

@@MichaelSSmith-hs5pw 🌹 I Can only imagine how he must have felt when he found out that the plane went down.. I Sometimes Wonder if that was why he decided to sing Country instead of Rock ...

[@MichaelSSmith-hs5pw]

@@mickie-fielden5629 Mickie, the reason I can make the comment I made is I know for a fact the comment Waylon made to Buddy haunted old Waylon all his life is because I played Bass Guitar for Waylon back in 1975, and he talked about it all the time. He was so heartsick about it that he actually thought he caused the plane crash by saying it, stupid people accuse Waylon of drinking & drugging to much, but I believe that crash could have been the reason he started all that in the first place. R.I.P. Waylon. 🎶🎸💕

[@debbiealvey3537]

This is heartbreaking, but it just goes to show, when it’s your time, it’s your time

[@NyMyers64]

Since you are a Grateful Dead fan you must know Not Fade Away, that was written by Buddy Holly. There was the Valens movie and the Buddy Holly movie but like any music movie , I'm not sure how accurate either one is. My father flew light planes and flyings in the snow is no joke. You get in the air and everything on all sides can just look white. Which is why they talked about the importance of flying by the instruments. That way you keep yourself upright and level. My father had trained and had an instrument rating.

[@shoknifeman2mikado135]

Sadly neither was accurate... and the Busey film about Holly, was pure Hollywood CRAP.

[@cherylreichardt]

Wanted to avoid bad weather but met their end by it. What a loss.

[@american_cosmic]

Thanks for doing this video Jamel... I'll always have a special place in my heart for Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. Original rock stars.

[@davidpahlka6301]

I still can remember my older sister's reaction of hearing about the plane crash. I was ten an my sister 18 and she was crying uncontrollably. I'm going "What's wrong. what's wrong?" Songs like Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue", "That I'd Be the Day", Richie Valen's "La Bamba" and the Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" I can still sing to. Richie Valen's hit "Donna" is a classic as well. He was only 17 or 18, which I didn't know until I saw the movie. The actor who played him you were thinking of was Lou Diamond Phillips, a favorite actor of mine.

[@shoknifeman2mikado135]

Ricardo Valenzuela was just 17, when he died in that plane crash

[@kathleenmenker3853]

I was a 14 yr old HS freshman when this happened. I was in my room doing my homework on my bed when the news bulletin came on the radio. I was in shock! I cried off and on for days! I’m 78 now and can remember that night like it was yesterday. 😢😢

[@webbtrekker534]

I was 14 years old when the music died. To be truthful, I barely remember it being reported since I didn't pay attention to the news in those days. But in retrospect yes, the music industry once again became "safe" and sort of made parents happy The top influencer was no longer there.

[@T1625-w7d]

My Father went to school with Buddy Holly at Lubbock High. He has a yearbook signed by Buddy. The British were huge fans of Buddy. The Beatles and The Stones idolized his music.

[@jfn2462]

Reminds me of when Lynryd Skynyrd's plane went down. So terribly sad.... RIP to all of them....

[@rachel-in-the-208]

You should watch the Buddy Holy Story with Gary Busey - he was so good in that movie.

[@wendydunagan5818]

Buddy Holly and the Crickets were the first white act to play the Apollo Theater. The Buddy Holly Story is my Dad's favorite story. His song True Love Ways was my parent's song back in the 50s. Later, in the 80s, my Dad was an aircraft mechanic and worked with the nephew of the pilot of Holly's plane. You should check out the story of Patsy Cline's crash. Patsy was my 6th cousin. Roger Miller (King of the Road) joined the search party of her crash and was ultimately the one to find her crash.

[@Doug4422]

Being from Iowa, that crash is legendary here, no Iowan has grown up not hearing about it.

[@fredshred5194]

Richardson, who was suffering from the flu, asked Jennings for his seat on the plane, and Valens asked the same of Allsup. When Jennings told Holly that he was going to take the bus, Holly jokingly told him he hoped the bus broke down, to which Jennings replied, “I hope your ol' plane crashes. Jennings went into a deep depression after hearing the news. I think this inccedent inspired Don McLean (if that's the right word) to write American Pie.

[@CarolineDelavault-k1y]

I was 12 and had spent my allowance and babysitting money on Richie Valens record. He was my second crush after Elvis. That was a great album. My older sister was into Buddy Holly and mom loved The Big Bopper. We wore out the carpet dancing to Chantilly Lace and my Richie Valens record and suddenly they were all dead. That was my first experience with death, we cried together.

[@gpreactions3194]

It's so sad when the lives of talented musicians are suddenly ended. I remembered another song by William Bell called Tribute to a king, all about his friend Otis Reading who, along with his band, died in a plane crash. Beautiful song, but sad because you always think 'what if'.

[@kenmatthews46]

I can still remember sitting at the kitchen table, my mother at the stove cooking, and the news coming on the radio about the crash. Really heartbreaking. Make sure you go see the "Elvis" movie. It's really good. See it in the biggest loudest movie theater that you can find. Don't wait for the small screen.

[@american_cosmic]

Elvis looks really good! Looking forward to seeing it, for sure.

[@foxymacadoo]

The two movies are The Buddy Holly Story which is about Buddy Holly and LaBumba which is about Rickie Valens and also his biggest and best known song. Worth watching

[@richb313]

Airplanes and musicians can sometimes bring about world changing situations not the first and tragically not the last.

[@inspirationworks8357]

Jim Croce and Rick/y Nelson are two I recall. Also, Stevie Ray in the helicopter... When John Denver died, I cried like a family member passed. These are only a few of many that have impacted me.

[@richb313]

@@inspirationworks8357 Me too.

[@baird5776mullet]

The Don Mclean song "AMERICAN PIE" is about this incident, it went to #1 in 1972

[@vickihirsch8340]

Thank you for that sad but necessary music history lesson. Bless you

[@chrisalldis3375]

Thanks for this Jamal, it dispelled a lot of rumours.

[@renewilliams7600]

You should watch the Buddy Holly story Movie. When I was in high school, a boy asked me to go with him to the private world premier of the movie. It was in Texas because Buddy was from there. My date had a family member that worked at the radio station so he gave him tickets. I was so nervous because it was my first date ever. I have always been so glad I said yes and got to make that memory. It was a great experience and he was a perfect gentlemen. It is a good movie Jamal, Gary Bucy plays Buddy Holly. I thought maybe i should add the year, it was 1978. Bucy was nominated for a oscar for his part playing Buddy. A little trivia, Buddy Holly was the first white act to perform at the Great Apollo Theater.

[@melodymcdonald2140]

I’m from Lubbock, Tx as well and my mom went to school with Buddy. I remember having his records when I was a kid… unfortunately I lost my mom when I was only 6, so I didn’t get to talk with her about him. My aunt, however, said she thought Buddy was a “hoodlum” and didn’t like his music.. looking back on it now, his music was very innovative for the time and I can understand why the parents didn’t care for it much. Dion Dimucci has an interesting interview documentary that gives a lot of history about the tour and what really happened. It’s worth checking out.

[@jerlynneallison6361]

Fun Fact: Buddy Holly and the Crickets were the first white band to play the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY. When they arrived, the owner was afraid a riot would break out and almost didn't let them go on. They were a hit!! 🎉🥳🎊🥰

[@MrToband]

Buddy Holly was the Beatles favorite, they named the band the beatles because of Buddy Holly and The Crickets. Texas boy too, Rock n Roll really started in Texas and Louisiana.

[@briano.1503]

I completely forgot Waylon Jennings was in Buddy Holly's band. This whole tour was set up for failure. NOT FADE AWAY!!! 🎸🎼🎶🎵❤❤❤

[@jameskirschling7887]

Most of this information I already knew but I did learn a few things I didn't know. According to Sir Paul McCartney the movie starring Gary Busey was very inaccurate so Sir Paul made his own movie because he was a huge fan of Buddy Holly. I've never seen that movie but I would like to. As far as how would music be today if that plane hadn't crashed, nobody knows. That will remain one of life's greatest mysteries.

[@inspirationworks8357]

If you might, please tell me what the name of Sir Paul's movie is? I would love to see it!

[@jameskirschling7887]

@@inspirationworks8357 I looked it up and the documentary is called "The Real Buddy Holly Story" and is available on KZbin in ten parts. I had to look it up because I couldn't remember the name of it. Here is a link to part 1. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYSnfoWgd89-f8k

[@rhender3911]

I was just days from turning 13 years old and at a high school basketball game when the news came about this plane crash to my Michigan upper peninsula home town. This was devastating and stunning news on this very cold winter night.

[@MaRoach7]

Gary Busey did a phenomenal job in The Buddy Holly movie. He was even nominated for an Oscar(can't remember if he won). I know he's a little wacky now but he had a serious brain injury in an accident. He was a great actor in his day

[@stanphillips7277]

Truly a sad story. Sad for the survivor's as well. There's a term for what they must have felt called "Survivor's Guilt" . "It should have been me" and, that sort of thing. In particular Waylon Jennings who actually said "I hope the plane crashes" Man! He really felt responsible according to the video. Makes you wonder how he got past that! I saw him in Ft Lauderdale FL. A show I went to with some country fans in the late 80s and, he was a great guitar player and singer, older man by then. He had his (18? Yr old) daughter on keyboards. When the show was over I was motioning with my hand for a pick , and he gave me a 👍as he was walking off and I shook my head violently and, made a picking motion again! So he turned around, walked over to his guitar, took the pick he played the entire show with and walked to the edge of the stage and put it right in my hand and smiled. I saw his daughter after that. It was a small venue and, I walked up on stage and said "Hi, can I help you carry your keyboard to the bus", and she said "I saw you out there smiling at my dad" smiling. She was beautiful and my age! So we walked slowly out to the tour bus. I was talking music being a beginner guitar player at the time, and at the door to the bus she (in a slightly flirtatious way) said "it's been nice meeting you" or something. I was too shy to ask her if I could get on the bus and, meet everyone (including Waylon) because, I sucked at guitar and was shy about maybe being asked to play. I still have the pick , I've never played with it so it still says Waylon Jennings on it. Looking back I've often wondered if I should have asked her out, but I was afraid Waylon might not approve of this long haired, hippy type kid goin' after his daughter so I'll never know. I never liked meeting _any_ girls parents anyway. In particular a large country father 😂 R.I.P to the guys on that plane man! We'll never know how much that impacted the future of music but, all these years later they're still being listened to, and just the fact that we're watching this shows how they're not forgotten about right?🙏

[@ericpeterson6766]

so much irony in this tale...I still mourn the loss of Ricardo Valenzuela the most. he was so talented and young, had sooo much potential...buddy had already proven himself and everyone reveres him, rightfully, but I would more like to hear unwritten music of Ritchie's. that would have been some true heartfelt artistry... so young, so dead, so unfortunate..

[@Lakeshore14]

Buddy Holly was a huge influence over other musicians including The Beatles.

[@american_cosmic]

Yep. He was hugely influential... it's impossible to overstate his significance and influence on rock and roll and pop music. First record I ever played was Buddy Holly.

[@inspirationworks8357]

Personally, I consider him to be a hugely underrated legendary and enormous influence on modern rock music. What he accomplished in a few short years is profound. His experimentation with sound-- including using the glottal stop vocal control method and orchestral strings in arrangements is brilliant. It is impossible to begin to try to contemplate what reach and rise contributions may have ultimately been if not for this tragedy. I actually refer to him as one of the major founding fathers of the modern rock sound. Hard for younger people to fathom because times then were radically different-- he grew up in a part of Texas where gospel and early country swing western music was the steady diet and his sound was revolutionary. Elvis is regarded as the King and I will give him his due-- he could sing, he had charisma for days, he could interpret a song so well you might have sworn he wrote it but he didn't. He was a legendary performer and a larger than life inspiration. But he wasn't a songwriter. I love him as much as anyone does but Buddy Holly has my heart and my loyalty. His talent was vast and prolific. The whole thing was horribly tragic but the fact that the shock of his death played a big part in his young wife's miscarriage of their first child is heartbreaking.

[@danastearns7939]

This is what Don McLean was singing about in his song "American Pie", as well as other related happenings in this era. These guys were the beginnings of American music coming out of the bee-pop era into early rock and roll. rock and roll was catching on, but this incident slowed down its progression into the American music scene, which became kinda stagnant and opened the door for The British Invasion of rock

[@brianelliott8050]

Paul McCartney owns the publishing rights to Holly's song catalogue. The Beatles' name was partly inspired by Holly's backing group, The Crickets. All four Beatles were keen Holly fans, and in 1976 McCartney bought the publishing rights to Holly's songs.

[@klipkultur2951]

Also Jamal, The Buddy Holly Story featuring Gary Busey, great flick.

[@Valenya23]

I wasn't alive back then, but in Texas we LOVED both Richie and Buddy.

[@conrad98gtp]

So many people don't realize that the lyrics in Don McLean's song, American Pie is about the plain crash that killed those artists.

[@VanDiemensLair]

Sad and frustrating the talented and beloved celebs we’ve lost in air disasters b/c the pilot was inexperienced or not trained for instrument flying. Patsy Cline, JFK Jr., and Kobe’s deaths among those that were also attributed to piloting that was not fully qualified to fly in inclement and dangerous conditions.

[@jenniferjacobs228]

I was 6 yrs old when this happened, living in Australia, so we kids were told nothing about it. It was years before I learned the details and it still haunts me to this day. A dreadful tragedy and huge loss to their families, friends and the music industry. May they all be resting peacefully or rockin' and boppin' on the other side.

[@danjohnson2986]

I went back to college and had a public speaking course. I used this incident (American Pie song) as my subject and showed pictures I’d taken of the crash site in Clearlake, IA in February. It was brutally cold. Soybean field. Walked about 1/2 mile along a fence line and most of the marker was covered by snow drifts. It was so bitter cold and I was wearing dress shoes (I took a detour during a work trip). It was so cold that I was walking on top of the snow as it was so hard on the crust/surface of the snow. The few times I broke through it was knee deep. I also went to the ballroom where they last played. Iowa has lots of interesting things that you wouldn’t think were in it. The house from “American Gothic” is in IA. Little house on the prairie house. Etc. it’s a nifty state.

[@inspirationworks8357]

I grew up in Minnesota and the way you describe the snow and the thin layer of ice on top of it, plunging through to your knees-- very picturesque and accurate.

[@danjohnson2986]

@@inspirationworks8357 thank you. My feet were frozen when I got back to the car. I was wearing shoes akin to penny loafers. Should have thought that one through 🤣

[@warrensereda4782]

The amount of number one hits that Buddy Holly had at such a young age was amazing. He could have been just as big as any artist from his Era, including Elvis. Such a tragedy. 😢

[@hannejeppesen1809]

La Bamba was the story of Richie Valens, who was only 17 when he died. He was just getting known.

[@michaelwernimont4410]

Jamal. Check out the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake,Iowa. Every February 3rd,they have a Winter Dance to remember thise 3 guys. The actual sight of the crash is on private property. There is a memorial on the actual site of the crash. The owner often gives permission for people to visit the site. The Chamber of Comnerce in Clear Lake,Iowa will usually help people out regarding info on the crash. In from Western Iowa. Carroll actually.. People in Iowa are constabtly reminded about the story every February. The info regarding the crash is common knowledge around here

[@joek468]

I remember meeting Waylon Jennings when I worked at Columbia Studios when Married With Children was there and he was on an episode. Extremely nice guy at that time.

[@kindoe66]

Jamel,Lou Diamond Phillips played Ritchie Valens in La Bamba. I too should watch it again.

[@larryponder6934]

This tragedy happened over a year before I was born, my sisters played their music while I was growing up, but by my teens, in the 70s, it was already history, so for me the music died Oct 20th 1977, in a swamp in Mississippi

[@terri2494]

I just looked it up and confirmed that I was right when I guessed you were talking about Lynyrd Skynyrd. I was born in ‘62 but I don’t remember hearing about the crash until much later, when my older sister mentioned it. I liked a couple of their songs (Sweet Home Alabama, obviously, and Gimme Three Steps) but they were just songs on the radio. I don’t think I connected them to the band name, or even to each other. When I was getting ready to write this I was thinking, and not for the first time, how strange it was that it had escaped my notice. Then it dawned on me that my sister was halfway across the country in her first year of college. She was usually my source of information about a lot of things. I guess on my own I can be pretty oblivious. I still marvel at how fresh Sweet Home Alabama sounds every time I hear it. What a great song. I wonder what other memorable songs they would have produced if not for the plane crash.

[@Craig_Fussell]

Waylon Jennings (played in Buddy Holly’s Band) was supposed to be on the plane as well, but I believe he gave up his seat to the Big Bopper because he wasn’t feeling well and thought it would be more comfortable for him than a cramped bus seat. ✌🏻

[@tjmctube]

400 mile flight between Fargo and Moorhead? I don't what Fargo and Moorhead they're talking about. They're lucky if there's 400 feet between them. They're border towns separated by the Red River.

[@wyomingfrog8534]

So many great musicians have passed in plane crashes. This was jus crazy because these were three big names at once.

[@bebic7903]

I've noticed that a couple of other people have commented on this mistake. Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota are both right on the border of the two states and separated by the Red River of the North. Maybe this is a small detail in light of the tragedy that took place. But if the narrator could mess up this fact (400 miles from Fargo to Moorhead -- wrong), you have to wonder how many other mistakes and details were wrong in this commentary.

[@mikemiller3069]

Being from Minnesota, I caught that too. Fargo and Moorhead are like Kansas City Kansas and Kansas City Missouri, right across the river from one another. They are almost like one city if they weren't in different states. When I heard him say 400 miles, I was like, "the Red River is wider than I thought".

[@arthurshagnasty4039]

Is a 1963 passing line in cowboy couples and a couple of others passed in an airplane crash as well

[@goldenagenut]

People usually focus more on Buddy Holly but Richie Valens' small amout of recorded songs are just so good, I cringe thinking of the amazing music he never got the opportunity to create. Richardson also had a huge personality and charisma. I can't imagine being a teen when that happened.

[@tonyt8805]

"What Really Happened The Day Music Died" I wasn't born but being a music lover..... I can only imagine it was a very sad day. 😕😭😕

[@lisastevens7008]

The look on your face. Thank you for being so willing to learn. It hasn't gone unnoticed. I see you.

[@valerieraymond5853]

That's the day my sister was born. My mother said that hearing about the deaths of the musicians was the first thing she heard after the birth of my sister.

[@aaronm4782]

"The 400 mile flight from Fargo to Moorhead"... Moorhead is connected to Fargo

[@rs-ye7kw]

Yeah, I never understood that line in the video since the flight originated in Iowa.

[@ManofTroy81]

Fargo, North Dakota is across the Red River from Moorhead, Minnesota. They are not 400 miles apart. The plane crash happened near Clear Lake, Iowa.

[@janethernandez724]

O my goodness! It was a 4-seater Beechcraft Bonanza plane with an inexperienced pilot at that! Oh no that is too bad!! Oh no! Any plane as small as that, I will not fly in! I am glad you reacted to this because we did not know what kind of plane it was, we just knew it was a plane crash and it was a small plane, some of us had no idea and that they had a novice pilot too! Thank you for reacting to this video I found it very informative! ☮💕👍👏

[@ajruther67]

Also watch The Buddy Holly Story starring Gary Busey as Buddy Holly.

[@chicochi3]

In 1973 Paul McCartney bought the Buddy Holly music catalog. McCartney is one of Holly's biggest fans.

[@kxd2591]

If you consider that Rock and Roll only acquired its name in 1954, all three were in at the beginning. And in an aside, my Uncle Sam (BG, US Army retired, RIP) was a lot like you. When Sam went to his first movie in 1925, Sam was four and my dad was seven. They went to some silent shoot'em up, and during the first gunfight my uncle started crying. Dad asked him, "Sam, what's wrong?" My uncle replied, "Somebody is gonna get killed !" I can see the gun smoke now.

[@francisrandall2108]

Thank you for sharing keep it coming bro

[@strangeworldsunlimited712]

1959 was a pretty pivotal year in rock. First these three died. Elvis Presley got drafted into the Army and spent much of the next three years in Germany. Jerry Lee Louis had his career ended when word got out that he'd married his underage cousin. Little Richard got tired of having his music stolen by white men, before copyright laws, that he quit and joined the ministry. By 1960, nearly all of early rock's biggest influences were out of the picture. Rock music became commercial and dull, many of the old swing musicians tried to regain their popularity, and you often got the hybrid swing-rock mix.... Until the Beatles exploded onto the American scene in 1964 and put Rock n Roll back on top.

[@ptournas]

Little Richard gave up rock and roll in 1957 and began his study for the ministry, although his was ordained in 1958. Elvis got his draft notice in 1957 and was sworn in March of 1958. Jerry Lee Lewis married his cousin in 1958.

[@strangeworldsunlimited712]

@@ptournas I stand corrected. That just means that the plane crash was the final nail in the coffin rather than the first.

[@ptournas]

@@strangeworldsunlimited712 Agreed. I guess it really was the day the music died. Or at least that era in its evolution.

[@rhondamcbath6279]

I guess the one member that died that tragic day, as far as I'm concerned was Ritchie Valence!! Complete heartbreak 💔 I say this because he was only 17 at the time of his death. He also shot to fame very quickly for a kid his age, he was in Love with Donna his true highschool sweetheart, his relationship with his only brother was strained, but on that night, he managed to call his brother and ask him to meet him at his next gig, and this alone made me cry because he loved his brother very much. Ritchie loved his momma so much and wanted her to never have to work again, and bought her a beautiful home. Ritchie was terrified of flying, and went as far as to have a shaman place a blessing over his life, and was even given a blessed madallion to wear around his neck. Ritchie was also very sick with the flu and when they had the coin toss to see who would fly, or ride in that cold ass bus, unfortunately Ritchie won the toss 😭. I'm not saying that anyone else in that plane were of less important, not at all!! We lost everyone in that plane that very day, including the pilot and any others who also lost their lives. I wasn't even born yet when this happened, but growing up hearing about it was just as hard. RIP BEAUTIFUL SOUL'S 🙏🙏🙏

[@Rammstein0963.]

Iirc the whole Donna thing was played up for the movie, an in rl they were more friends than anything.

[@amandamankins1293]

Ironically my mother passed on the 50th anniversary of the plane crash she was a fan of all three men that died in the crash. I did a little research and it's weird how much Buddy Holly and myself have in common. R.I.P to the grandfathers of rock n roll.

[@excaliburknives3572]

If you haven’t yet listen to American Pie by Don McClean. It goes over what happened after that day.

[@UncutSavage9858]

Wasn't it the Altamont concert where Hells Angels was security and beat people up as well as a person being killed ?

[@UncutSavage9858]

I know now..airplane crash

[@vinsgraphics]

May 17, 2022 is when the music died for me, personally. RIP Vangelis.

[@boharding8562]

I suggest going to watch the behind the music on KZbin (the old vh1 show) about the day the music died. It is one of the episodes of that show that stands out the most. Was done on the 40th anniversary of the crash…

[@CuzKatieSaysSo]

I just watched the Buddy Holly Story on TCM a couple nights ago. Probably the only movie where I could tolerate Gary Busey, lol. My brother, a bass player, traveled to Iowa an stood on the stage they all last played on, then went to the farm field where they crashed. He said it just gave him chills. RIP to all

[@rockinmosquito]

I went to the crash site in October of 1991. I know what your brother is talking about. I had just been the best man, at my best friends wedding. The wedding was in Alta, Iowa, the hometown of Roger Peterson. The ceremony, was in the very same church, as Roger's wedding, and funeral.

[@1953saberbee]

Beech Bonanza was a great airplane. Going down that quickly suggests the plane iced over , lost lift, and stalled causing one wing to dip. No weather radar back then.

[@donaldromesburg1902]

The interstate highway system was just taking shape, so most of the roads they traveled were two lane highways going though small towns slowing down at everyone then speeding up slowing down and being it was winter . Snow removal was almost nonexistent at the time . So snow packed and icy roads were common

[@donnagonatas3155]

This was great Jamel!!! There's a really great one on KZbin about Stevie Ray. It's called VH1 legends. SRV. It's narrated by Mark Wahlberg. I formally request this? 😊✌️❤️

[@kylesummers1565]

Peace, Love!!

[@maxbrazil3712]

Music died when sampling became the norm and originality was flushed.

[@haranbanjo8024]

Buddy Holly was the first and the greatest genius of early Rock'n roll! His songs are wonderful masterpieces and he also created the rock band impostation with two guitar, a bass and a percussion! He was and remain the best musician-composer of that era, unfortunately died so young!!!

[@patriciastewart2239]

I can't even watch this again with you bro. 🙏✌️🌼

[@russallert]

Buddy Holly would have been on the same creative level as The Beatles if he'd lived. He already did innovative things like recording songs with a full orchestra, adding interesting instruments to his songs, and working with great players like Waylon Jennings and sax player King Curtis, as well as The Crickets. When he married his wife Maria Elena and moved to New York, he was constantly going to the nightclubs in Greenwich Village, checking out different kinds of music and thinking of ways to adapt those styles to his own music. Richie Valens was only 17 when he died and just had a few singles out, but he was already breaking ground by adding a Latin/Mexican influence to rock & roll, most notably with his version of the Mexican folk song La Bamba. JP Richardson was a multi-faceted media personality, active both in radio and in music, and probably would have been active in various areas of showbiz for a long time to come. So the loss of these three musicians was incalculable. Note: check out Waylon Jennings' personal tribute to Buddy Holly in the song Old Friend. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpKQi32ihJdgbbc

[@inspirationworks8357]

You said everything in my heart so much better than I could. Thank you for your beautiful comment.

[@DocIdaho]

It’s also the inspiration for the song “American Pie”

[@mariaeveliaguerreroparker4561]

Buddy Holly was a composer musician who first played his music with a garage band The Crickets. Remember, 50's band mostly had horns and keyboards along with other instruments. Holly played his music with a quartet two guitars, bass and drum set. A small ensemble with a big sound. After his death a famous quartet in 60's came from England, two guitars bas s and drum set named The Beatles. Valens also composer musician, wrote songs like Donna, Come on Let's Go, but his most famous was a Mexican Folk Dance Music from Veracruz Mexico. He rearranged La Bamba and rearranged it into rock and roll. History in the making. Listen to La Bamba and then listen to The Beatles, Twist and Shout. You should hear the underline of La Bamba in it. Makes you want to go hmmm. The Bopper, also composer musician, He had been a country radio DJ, and country western singer, he was so popular that his music went Pop Rock and Roll. What would it been like, if these men had never gotten on that plane. Valens was 16! The other two were in their 20's.

[@catherineciferni1145]

The Don McLean song, American Pie circa 1972 is about the impact of the loss of these men on American Culture. If you have not covered American Pie you should. We were in high school in the late 1980s and American Pie came on we started sing it, the teacher was stunned, you know this song you were not born when it was played.

[@zeusathena26]

This is how I first found out about all this then started listening to the song "American Pie" from Don McLean. You should hear the song from him or read the lyrics of that song, it'll explain more about the story. McLean knew Buddy when he was a paperboy back in the 50's