Happy 75th, Buddy Holly!

[eldritchhobbit]

I was raised with a deep and abiding love for Buddy Holly, one of the great fathers of rock-n-roll, the man who brought rhythm-and-blues to white audiences, country-western to black audiences, and helped create the vibrant fusion of rockabilly that gave birth to modern rock.

He is my father's favorite musician, and by the time I was in kindergarten, I could sing his entire discography from memory. I still can. He recorded music for only two years. He died at the age of 22. His influence, however, is alive and well.

Today Buddy Holly would have turned 75. Today he receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


I'd like to share one of my personal favorites with you in honor of this day, a song written by Buddy Holly, with vocals and acoustic guitar by him, recorded at home in his apartment the month before his tragic plane crash. Here's "Learning the Game":

And here's another favorite (also on YouTube): "Well... All Right."

* From today's LA Times: "Buddy Holly's 75th on Wednesday? That'll be the day."
* From LubbockOnline: "Holly's star on Hollywood Walk of Fame leads to Music Box concert."
* "Buddy Holly: 75 and Timeless"

"I'm not trying to stump anybody... it's the beauty of the language that I'm interested in."
- Buddy Holly

Comments

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday, Buddy! ::raises a glass in his honor:: I can only imagine the wonderful music he would've created if he'd had a bit more time. . .

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

YAY!

So very true.

[chorale.livejournal.com]

Thank you! You led me to several YouTube videos of undubbed versions of various of Holly's songs which were all quite a treat to hear. I enjoyed the lack of production. Sometimes his producer went a little too far with his production for my modern ear, even though the style was in accord with the times.

I have a two-disc set of Holly's greatest hits, which I'll make time to get out and play sometime today.

Happy Holly-day to you!

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

We got that set a few years back, as a byproduct of my early writing for Steve Jackson Games. I submitted a character sheet and biography of him for their "Who's Who" series—it was the only one of my submissions that didn't make it in, I'm sorry to say.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Aw! Not fair at all. But kudos to you for writing about him, anyway.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

YAY! I'm so glad you enjoyed the undubbed versions. I agree with you: less is more, especially with a voice and guitar like his.

By the way, cookiefleck made it to the Walk of Fame ceremony for his star, and she posted pictures here.

[dodger-winslow.livejournal.com]

And Not Fade Away

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Indeed, my friend!

*holds up lighter*

[vyrdolak.livejournal.com]

I love the Sandy Denny/The Bunch version of Learning the Game.

Buddy Holly was always a little too hiccupy for me, but not hard-edge enough to be rockabilly which I do like. He was a great influence on rock and roll but I can't say he's a fave.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Have you heard Natalie Merchant's new version of "Learning the Game"? Quite good. I think my favorite cover of it, though, is the Waylon Jennings/Mark Knopfler version.

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