Buddy Holly was born on September 7th, 1936 in Lubbock Texas.

His given name was

Charles Hardin Holley. Buddy was the youngest out of four older brothers. The way he got
Buddy was because his mother felt that Charles Hardin Holley was too hard for her little boy, so
she called him Buddy and that name just stuck. At the time of his first record in 1956 by Decca,
there was a misspelling on Buddys last name where it became Holly and not Holley. With three
older brothers, Holly was taught the basics of the guitar and was able to learn to play the fiddle
and piano at an early age. The first time Hollys talent was discovered was when a record
company talent scout caught the music ability of Holly in his act at a skating rink and signed him
to a contract. The song My Two-Timin Woman was a home recording in 1949 that really
showcased the skills of which holly had. Both his mother and father was a tailor by trade and
supported Buddy through his musical career. After Buddy finished in school around 1955, he
made a band and started singing country and western songs. Barely out of high school, Buddy
Holly and his band opened for Elvis Presley. Bandmate Sonny Curtis viewed that the opening for
Elvis as a crucial turning point for the singer. Upon seeing Elvis, Buddy Holly was influenced by
Elvis and started to transition his music from country to rock and roll and many people did notice
when his change in music occurred. In 1956 Holly and his band started to make demos.
Throughout his career he made many songs and about 20 of them were big hits. Some of his big
hits that he wrote were, Oh Boy, Maybe Baby, Raining in My Heart, Big Boppers
Chantilly Lace, and La Bamba. One of his breakthrough songs Thatll be the Day with the
Crickets in 1957 made him very well known. Thatll be the Day is a song that refrains to the
film, The Searchers. Since Buddy was a young and unexperienced artist, he didnt have planes
to take him to concerts so he normal took a bus or car. But on February 3, 1959, there was a
storm and a more experienced artist gave up is seat on the airplane due to the storm and gave it to

Buddy as he was heading to a concert. While flying the plane crashed and killed Buddy at the
age of 22. On that plane there was also other artist like Ritchie Valens and J.P. The Bopper
Richardson who also died. They all died in Clear Lake Iowa. The song, American Pie is a song
about Buddy, Ritchie, and J.P. as a remembrance. The day that Buddy and many other artist died,
was considered by many people the day that the music died including Don McLean, the writer of
American Pie.
The type of instruments that Buddy Holly played the guitar, piano, violin, banjo, and he
sang. The genres that Buddy wrote and sang were country, rock and roll, rockabilly, and Lubbock
sound. Lubbock sound was started partly with Buddy and his mid tempo beat. Lubbock is a
form of rock and roll with country and blues. It was popular in Lubbock Texas. Rockabilly is a
blend of American folks and Western musical styles such as country and bluegrass, with that of
R&B. Rockabilly general has guitars, double bass, drums, piano, and vocals. Rock and roll is a
combination of African American genres such as blues, jump blues, jazz, and gospel music put
all together with western swing and country music. Rock and roll general has electric guitars,
drums, double bass, and vocals. Country is a mix of American folk music and western music. In
country music there is generally a fiddle, harmonica harp, keyboard, and banjo. Buddy Holly
originally started off with country music but after Buddy opened for Elvis, he was greatly
influenced by Elvis and Buddy started to go from country music to rock and roll. Buddy Holly
influenced John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the Beatles who then made it big time in the
music industry. Ian Whitcomb said, Buddy Holly and the Crickets had the most influence on the
Beatles. The music that Buddy Holly sang had such an effect to the world that it influenced rock
and roll along with Elvis, once Holly made his transition to rock and roll music. Buddy won the
Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999 with the songs Peggy Sue and Everyday and also won

the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. Buddy was signed under Decca, but under
Decca there were subsidiary of Decca including Brunswick and Coral, which Buddy did sing
under all three of the divisions. Buddy Holly is worth talking about today in 2014 because he had
a great influence on a very famous group of the Beatles and was influenced by another very
famous person, Elvis. The music that Buddy Holly wrote and sang had influenced culture by
spreading rock and roll throughout the world along with Elvis. Buddy Holly had these big
glasses with a basic black frame which then ended up being caught on by many people.