The Big Huerta Goes to Clear Lake, Iowa in his Mind

Well, I realize Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper perished in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. Here it is September 21, 2015, and there is no correlation between the two dates. But don’t freak peeps, dig, I was at work the other day and the local oldies station was on and they played Don McLean’s “American Pie”. Now we all know that this was McLean’s ode to that fateful plane trip. The day the music died indeed. Now kids, the Big Huerta ain’t that old. I was not alive when this event took place nor can I imagine the enormity of this event. I just wonder if it is a much bigger event now than it was back then. Can you imagine the sort of huzzahs and tributes that would be taking place in today’s social media-based world?! Now Buddy Holly has had a ton of success since his untimely death. But would he have been as popular if he would have lived and continued to make music? In which direction would his music take? Would he be a Chuck Berry-esque grumpy old dude on the oldies circuit? There are many, many questions that could be brought up and have been brought up if this event never occurred. Again dig, back to what brought all of this up. A co-worker asked me what other songs did Don McLean write. I drew a blank. I knew he had many other songs but it was “American Pie” that he will forever be known for….and at least he has that going for him.

Now, this song and question from my coworker, triggered all other sorts of information to take place inside of my head. In fact, I remembered as if it were yesterday that I bought this single, or maybe my mom bought it for me, when I was ten years old, along with Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” at the Singer Sewing Machine store in Huntington Center in Huntington Beach, California. The Singer Sewing place is long gone….but how many of you peeps remember that one could buy records there also? Remember, even Elvis Presley issued a Singer release only, “Flaming Star”, for sale in those sewing machine shops. I still have that LP also. I can still remember, when you walked in, that the records were on the right side of the store. While my mom shopped for bobbins or whatever, this 10 year old kid would be thumbing through the latest releases by the recording artists of the day. Now what a cool memory that is…and how cool of my mom (RIP) to encourage my thirst for musical knowledge. This song, “American Pie”, playing on the radio triggered an incredible memory of my mom and I sharing a wonderful moment and one that I will always carry with me, until my dying day. We shared this together and no one else was involved. She probably would never even remember that day (if we were lucky enough to have the chance to ask her). But ask me what I had for dinner last night…I have no idea…but this song written about a tragedy in 1959, stirred up a memory from 1971, in the year 2015. Buddy Holly will never be forgotten nor will my childhood memory with my mother ever be forgotten…a bunch of happy memories and feelings and lost irreplaceable moments were stirred up and made me teary-eyed, all because the radio played a song about a tragedy written by Don McLean.

This painting was very minimalist. It is viewed through a snow drift…a faint wooden fence can be seen along with Buddy’s glasses….broken in two in the snow….along with the words “Oh Boy” written in the snow. Oh boy is not meant to be good…just a harbinger of things to come in the future.

The Big Huerta wishes that you all can dig up some lasting memories with your loved ones…time is very short here…too short for some loved ones and the end comes unexpectedly sometimes…make memories to last your lifetime…because sometimes you can never have the chance to say goodbye to someone that you love….Respects to all..