Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup, Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly (Charles Hardin Holley) was born in Lubbock, Texas. When World War 2 ended Buddy’s older brother Travis, who had been in the Marines, brought home his Harmony acoustic guitar teaching him how to play chords. Buddy progressed so fast on the guitar and singing that family and friends were astonished at his proficiency and individual style. Buddy’s early music influences were Hank Williams, Lefty Frizzell and black groups that included Fats Domino. In 1949, while attending Hutchinson Junior High, he hooked up with young musicians and fellow students Don Guess, Bob Montgomery and Jerry Allison. Buddy and Jack Neal then formed a duo playing on KDAV radio “The Sunday Party” and in 1953 adding Bob Montgomery and Larry Welborn. Buddy Holley group names included: “The Rhythm Playboys” (Don Guess & Bob Montgomery) “Buddy, Bob & Larry” and “The Three Tunes” (Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis & Don Guess) on a Decca recording, The Crickets (Allison, Niki Sullivan & Joe Mauldin) and in 1959 The Crickets that included Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup & Carl Bunch. Buddy Holly was a far different person than the public image portrayed him of being a shy and frail geek wearing horn-rimmed glasses. In fact, he the was exact opposite. In his early youth and even later years he was rash, reckless, sometimes aggressive and always in a perpetual rush. He had vices like the rest of the boys from West Texas drinking, smoking and chasing girls. Although extremely gifted as a song writer/musician he always associated himself with the best talent Lubbock had to offer learning from singer-songwriter Ben Hall, steel player Weldon Myrick, multi-talented singer/songwriter/musician Sonny Curtis and others. In 1954 Buddy met high school dropout Waylon Jennings from Littlefield. Buddy Holly would be the first person to recognize Waylon’s talents as a singer. In 1955 Waylon moved to Lubbock becoming a very popular DJ. The Buddy & Bob band played the West Texas honky tonk circuit as far South as San Angelo. During his senior year (class of 55’) Rock & Roll became more dominant, along with the new 45 records replacing the old 78’s boosting record sales and the newly invented transistor radios filling the air with music. In the fall his best girl friend, Elaine McGuire, enrolled in college at Abilene Christian College. When Elvis Scotty & Bill hit Lubbock in 1955 they transformed many of the country pickers into rockers. Buddy and his band managed to hold their own after opening for Elvis at the Fair Park Coliseum in 1955. Buddy would later comment: “Without Elvis none of us could have made it”. Buddy’s favorite Elvis song was “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” a country rock song that blasted the air-ways for 40 weeks. Elvis’s band, after adding drummer D.J Fontana, would eventually provide the guidelines for all West Texas rockabilly bands including Buddy & Roy Orbison. The turning point for Buddy Holly came in October 1955 opening first for Bill Haley & His Comets and then for Marty Robbins later in the month. Borrowing money from his brother Buddy purchased a new Fender Strat, a Fender Pro amp, loud clothes and began touring the country with The Hank Thompson Show. After a two uneventful Nashville recording sessions for Decca Buddy went to Norman Petty Studios in 1957 recording “That’ll Be The Day” with The Crickets (Jerry Allison, Niki Sullivan & Larry Wilborn) their first and only number one record. Buddy’s life as a performer was a story of exploitation, betrayal, and distortion by his manager, record promoters and tour packages that sent him into the frozen North on the most poorly organized rock tour in history...ending in tragedy. Holly found happiness, spending time with his wife Maria Elena (born in Puerto Rico), while living in New York, City. Buddy Holly, one of Rock & Rolls most original and innovative performers, was inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1986.