The Day the Music Died: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper – Live Streaming Event –

The Day the Music Died:
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper
– Live Streaming Event –
 
Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 7:00 PM

Register HERE

Let’s remember Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper by commemorating the 62nd anniversary of “The Day the Music Died.”

Our program will feature biographical information and musical selections from the three performers, an overview of the events of surrounding their deaths, and their influence on pop culture, both music and film , including clips from the films The Buddy Holly Story and La Bamba.

On February 3, 1959, American rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and “The Big Bopper” J. P. Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, together with pilot Roger Peterson. The event later became known as “The Day the Music Died”, after singer-songwriter Don McLean referred to it as such in his 1971 song “American Pie”.

Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born in Lubbock, Texas, to a musical family during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his siblings. His style was influenced by gospel music, country music, and rhythm and blues acts, which he performed in Lubbock with his friends from high school.

Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was a rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement during eight-month recording career.

Jiles Perry “J. P.” Richardson Jr. (October 24, 1930 – February 3, 1959), known as The Big Bopper, was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and disc jockey.

This is a musical history program where we will provide the historical context of various topics with an emphasis on pop culture (as opposed to music theory) including selected video recordings and biographical from various artists.

The historical items will be provided via pictures and video so viewing the presentation on-screen is recommended, but you are also free to just listen to the program via audio-only.

Your host for this program is Robert Kelleman, the founder/director of the non-profit community organization Washington, DC History & Culture.