It was December 1, 1957, and I remember seeing Buddy Holly & The Crickets perform “That’ll Be The Day” on the Ed Sullivan Show. At the time, it was the heaviest music ever made, and it still holds up today, as the YouTube comments prove. The drummer is criminally underrated, with an excellent technique that really brings the whole band together.
I always wondered if the rhythm guitarist was also Buddy Holly because they looked so similar. Buddy Holly was a true legend, and it’s no surprise that he inspired John, Paul, George & Ringo, as Michele at Lilacs & Rust pointed out.
As awe-inspiring as Elvis was, there was something about Buddy he had that Elvis lacked. Elvis was like a fictional character, a superhero, but Buddy was like the cool guy you hope you could become yourself, as Steve Faure described in the comments.
It’s amazing to think that 64 years later, Buddy Holly’s music still sounds fresh, rockin’, and beautifully crafted, as Tim Burr pointed out. Sadly, he didn’t live to see rock take off into the stratosphere in the 60s and witness how much he influenced the Beatles. Lennon also mentioned how comforting it was to see a glasses-wearing rock star.
I love the hiccup-like sounds Buddy makes with his voice, and it’s a testament to his skill as a musician and pioneer of the industry, as Conway Twitter pointed out. It’s crazy to think that back in the 50s, this was considered the Devil’s Music, as NugSoVile433 noted. Music has changed so much in the last 60 years, and it’s crazy.
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