Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

PoindexterOglethorpe

(28,493 posts)

14. What's shocking (at least to me) is how very young they all were.

Reply to Heartstrings (Original post)

Sat Feb 2, 2019, 11:01 PM

Feb 2019

The Big Bopper was the old man at 28.

Ritchie Valens was only 17. Buddy Holly, 22.

With all due respect the first two probably wouldn't have had very long careers. But Buddy Holly. OMG. His influence, as brief as his time was, is incalculable. The Beatles, the most influential musicians of the 20th century pay tribute to him. Had he lived. Oh, if only he had lived. He'd have been the giant astride rock music and the entire rest of the 20th century.

As it is, what he left behind is simply amazing.

I was 10 years old and well remember the news that morning, even though I didn't follow music and while I'd heard their songs, their deaths didn't really register. As an adult, I take it very differently.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

34 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The day the music died...60 year remembrance thread.... [View all] Heartstrings Feb 2019 OP

Thanks for the great thread! Glamrock Feb 2019 #1

I will be thinking of you, Glam.... Heartstrings Feb 2019 #3

Awww. You're the sweetest. Glamrock Feb 2019 #15

Yes it's a great thread... UniteFightBack Feb 2019 #32

Don McLean - American Pie Quemado Feb 2019 #2

I met a girl who sang the blues and I asked her for some happy news struggle4progress Feb 2019 #10

K&R...👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 spanone Feb 2019 #4

Don McLean was 13 and I was 14 that day. Croney Feb 2019 #5

and I was -9 months and 1 day whistler162 Feb 2019 #6

White Lightning kentuck Feb 2019 #7

AMERICAN PIE is a nice song, but music definitely disn't "die" brooklynite Feb 2019 #8

A metaphor for those 3 guys treestar Feb 2019 #23

I think Mclean may have been referring to the period after the crash Aristus Feb 2019 #24

Waylon Jennings . . . Roadside Attraction Feb 2019 #9

Yup. Waylon suffered from survivor's guilt TexasBushwhacker Feb 2019 #20

Buddy told him he hoped that he froze on the bus Docreed2003 Feb 2019 #27

I was 9, had older siblings TNNurse Feb 2019 #11

And isn't that the greatest tribute that can be paid? Stinky The Clown Feb 2019 #28

Thanks. I grew up in the 50's 60's... pangaia Feb 2019 #12

My father grew up in Nora Springs, near Clear Lake Mr. Ected Feb 2019 #13

I walked out through that cornfield Horse with no Name Feb 2019 #26

What's shocking (at least to me) is how very young they all were. PoindexterOglethorpe Feb 2019 #14

... and the three men I admire most. The Father, Son and .. the Holy Ghost ... Persondem Feb 2019 #16

In Lubbock, Texas 1959... czarjak Feb 2019 #17

I grew up in Levelland bmbmd Feb 2019 #29

Responding To The Day The Music Died JGug1 Feb 2019 #18

The pilot, Roger Peterson, wasn't instrument-rated and was unfamiliar with the Attitude indicator Dennis Donovan Feb 2019 #22

I still have that old 7 inch 45rpm record Elwood P Dowd Feb 2019 #19

Buddy Holly was very talented. Ritchie Valens not as much but still talented. raccoon Feb 2019 #21

You beat me to it. I post a similar thread on a variety of venues where I post Stinky The Clown Feb 2019 #25

Me too. I posted last year in the DU Lounge. I was about to post this year in mahatmakanejeeves Feb 2019 #30

Oh baby this is what I like !!! nt UniteFightBack Feb 2019 #31

Fantastic post! Thank you! MoonRiver Feb 2019 #33

Forever favorites. Thank you for good memories, Heartstrings. nt akraven Feb 2019 #34