I’m old enough to remember hearing the news about Buddy Holly. But for me it was the news about Richie Valens that struck hardest, because I really like his single “Donna”. But no matter what, I knew it was a loss beyond simply famous people dying.
And yes, I remember when “Peggy Sue”, “Everyday” and “That’ll Be the Day” were all hits for Holly. But I didn’t examine his music especially closely. I never bought any of his records. It took The Beatles and their version of “Words of Love” to administer the gobsmack I needed. “That’s Buddy Holly?” I remember thinking. Silly me, I thought it was Lennon/McCartney!
“Words of Love” was probably the first Holly cover I ever heard, but as time went on, I was continually set back on my heels by covers like “Not Fade Away” by the Stones and “True Love Ways” by Peter and Gordon, et al. Over the years I also had the chance to listen to the Holly originals, and he whomps every one of them out of the park.
More than Patsy Cline, more than Otis Redding, more than -insert musician who died tragically young of your choice here-, one has to wonder what the future would have held for Buddy Holly and for pop music, had he lived.
Yes, even more than Richie Valens.