Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly - Singers, Birthday and Personal Life

Violet FieldHome › AmericanBuddy HollySeptember 7, 1936556 views

0 based on 0 rates
Buddy Holly Biography Stories 

Buddy Holly's Personal Details

Buddy Holly was one of the most popular American singer-songwriters of his time

InformationDetail
BirthdaySeptember 7, 1936
Died onFebruary 3, 1959
NationalityAmerican
FamousDied Young, Singers
City/StateTexas
SpousesMaría Elena Holly
SiblingsLarry Holly, Travis Holly
Known asCharles Hardin Holley
Universities
  • Hutchinson Junior High School
  • Lubbock High School
Cause of death
  • Plane Crash
Birth PlaceLubbock, Texas, U.S.
GenderMale
FatherLawrence Odell Holley
MotherElla Pauline (Drake) Holley
Sun SignVirgo
Born inLubbock, Texas, U.S.
Died at Age22

// Famous Died Young

Selena

Selena

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, famously known as the ‘Queen of Tejano music’, was a Mexican-American singer, composer, actress, spokesperson and fashion designer. This biography profiles her childhood, life, music career, achievements and timeline.

Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin was a famous Australian naturalist best known for his wildlife show ‘The Crocodile Hunter’. To know more about his childhood, career, profile and timeline read on

Sid Vicious

Sid Vicious

Sid Vicious was an English musician known for his work with the band ‘Sex Pistols’. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.

Buddy Holly's photo

Who is Buddy Holly?

Buddy Holly, born as Charles Hardin Holley, was one of the most influential singer-songwriters of 1950s. His records conveyed a sense of ‘joie de vivre’ and carried South-Western intonations. Although he became popular only a short while before his death, his music had already left an indelible impression in rock and roll music, which was the most popular genre at the time. He was well-versed in a number of musical styles and was a seasoned performer by the time of his death. Holly was a continuous innovator, who wrote his own music and was among the first to use unconventional studio methods such as ‘double-tracking’. In his final months, he also began experimenting with orchestration. His wide set of songs includes standards of rock and roll including ‘That’ll Be the Day’, ‘Peggy Sue’ and ‘Maybe Baby’. Music apart, he was known for his signature horn-rimmed glasses and verbal hiccup. He deeply influenced ‘The Beatles’ and ‘Hollies’. Even the Rolling Stones had their first main hit with Holly’s ‘Not Fade Away’. It is believed that he was the largest and one of the first influences on contemporary musicians including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello and Steve Winwood.

// Famous Singers

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell is an American singer and songwriter. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, birthday, etc.

Isaak Presley

Isaak Presley

All about American actor and singer Isaak Presley including his age, birthday, family life, girlfriends, net worth, and some fun facts.

Sophia Montero

Sophia Montero

Sophia Montero is an American singer and YouTuber. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, relationships, and fun facts.

Childhood & Early Life

Charles Hardin Holley was born to Lawrence Odell and Ella Pauline, in Lubbock, Texas.

He developed his interest for music when he was in school. He teamed up with his friend Bob Montgomery in 1952 at the Hutchison Junior High School, where they studied and teamed up as the musical duo, ‘Buddy and Bob’.

The duo performed for a number of school events and sang harmony duets at local clubs. They became so popular that they were even given a slot at a local radio station for Sunday broadcast.

Career

Inspired by Elvis Presley’s rockabilly style, Holly soon began to incorporate this style into his own music. He and his friends—Bob Montgomery and Larry Welborn—were later spotted by a Nashville talent lookout and they began recording tunes under the name ‘Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes’.

They officially signed their first record contract with Decca Records and he then went on to form his own rock and roll band called ‘The Crickets’, in 1957. Holly was the lead guitarist and also the vocalist of the band.

Among the first tracks that the group recorded was ‘That’ll Be the Day with ‘The Crickets’, in 1957. The song’s title was taken from a phrase that John Wayne frequently used in the film, ‘The Searchers’.

In November 1957, the band released their debut album, ‘The ‘Chirping’ Crickets’. Meanwhile, he signed a solo deal with Coral Records as well, thus having two recording contracts at the same time.

Till 1958, Holly and ‘The Crickets’ recorded several singles that were featured on a number of famous music charts. He then moved to Greenwich Village, in New York City.

In 1958, he released his solo debut self-titled album, ‘Buddy Holly’. One of the singles from the album, ‘Peggy Sue’ charted in a number of popular countdowns. He also released the third album, ‘That’ll Be the Day’, which happened to his last album.

Due to legal and monetary problems caused because to the band’s disintegration, he unwillingly decided to tour through the Midwest in 1959 with ‘The Winter Dance Party’. Exhausted from broken-down automobiles in subzero temperatures, he charted a private plane, which crashed shortly after the take off, killing everyone who was on the board.

Major Works

‘The ‘Chirping’ Crickets’ release in 1957 was the debut album by the band, ‘The Crickets’, led by Buddy Holly. Rolling Stone magazine has listed the album as one of the ‘500 greatest albums of all time’. The album charted the UK Albums Chart at the number 5 position and two of the albums singles ‘That’ll Be the Day’ and ‘Oh Boy’, became instant hits, featuring at the top spot in the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ and the ‘UK Singles Chart’.

‘Buddy Holly’, the self-titled album released in 1958 became extremely popular, because it was recorded one year before Holly’s fatal plane crash. The album also features one of his best singles, ‘Peggy Sue’, which featured at the number 3 position on the prestigious ‘Billboard Pop Singles’.

Awards & Achievements

He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, in 1986, posthumously.

He posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on September 7, 2011.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1958, he met a receptionist, Maria Elena Santiago and became instantly attracted to her. He asked her to have dinner with him at P.J. Clarke’s. He was so smitten by her that he asked her to marry him on their first date itself. The duo got married on August 15, 1958, less than two months after their meeting.

Following their marriage, the couple would frequent a number of popular music scenes in New York.

It is said that he was also very keen on learning the flamenco guitar. He was so inspired by Eddie Cochran and Elvis Presley that he also decided to take up acting classes at the Lee Strasburg’s Actors Studio, hoping that one day he would get a big break in films.

When he charted a private plane to take him to his next tour stop, little did he know that he would be breathing his last. The plane that was also carrying Ritchie Valens, Roger Peterson and Richardson, crashed a short while after take-off, killing all on board.

His wife, Elena, was pregnant at the time of the crash. She had a miscarriage soon after hearing the news about his death.

Although his music career just took off at the time of his death, he had already set the mood and feel for upcoming rock and roll bands. Through his limited music, he also managed to bridge the ethnic divide in America.

He was instrumental in making rock and roll music more accessible for all races across the world. His trademark ‘glasses’ style became such a hit that performers like John Lennon and Hank Marvin adopted it during their performances.

Don McLean’s ballad, ‘American Pie’ was based on Holly and the day of his fatal plane crash. The album ‘American Pie’ is also dedicated to Holly.

His life and his experiences spawned a Hollywood film titled ‘The Buddy Holly Story’, which released in 1978. Other film and musical depictions include, ‘La Bamba’, ‘Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story’ and ‘The Day the Music Died’.

Memorials in his honor include a statue of him at Lubbock’s Walk of fame, a street in his name and ‘The Buddy Holly Center’.

Trivia

This popular singer-songwriter’s last name was originally spelled ‘Holley’, but was misspelled as ‘Holly’ in his first contract. The name stuck on and never changed.

// Famous Virgo Celebrities peoples

Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin is a well-known American writer, autistic activist and animal expert. This biography profiles her childhood, life, achievements, career and timeline

Alex Holtti

Alex Holtti

Check out all that you wanted to know about Alex Holtti, the famous Danish Viner & YouTuber; his birthday, his family and personal life, his girlfriends, fun trivia facts and more.

Benjamin Atkinson

Benjamin Atkinson

Benjamin Atkinson is the son of the world-renowned British actor and comedian, Rowan Atkinson. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family, personal life, including his age, birthday, etc.

Buddy Holly biography timelines

  • // 7th Sep 1936
    Charles Hardin Holley was born to Lawrence Odell and Ella Pauline, in Lubbock, Texas.
  • // 1952
    He developed his interest for music when he was in school. He teamed up with his friend Bob Montgomery in 1952 at the Hutchison Junior High School, where they studied and teamed up as the musical duo, ‘Buddy and Bob’.
  • // 1957
    They officially signed their first record contract with Decca Records and he then went on to form his own rock and roll band called ‘The Crickets’, in 1957. Holly was the lead guitarist and also the vocalist of the band.
  • // 1957
    Among the first tracks that the group recorded was ‘That’ll Be the Day with ‘The Crickets’, in 1957. The song’s title was taken from a phrase that John Wayne frequently used in the film, ‘The Searchers’.
  • // 1958
    Till 1958, Holly and ‘The Crickets’ recorded several singles that were featured on a number of famous music charts. He then moved to Greenwich Village, in New York City.
  • // 1958
    In 1958, he released his solo debut self-titled album, ‘Buddy Holly’. One of the singles from the album, ‘Peggy Sue’ charted in a number of popular countdowns. He also released the third album, ‘That’ll Be the Day’, which happened to his last album.
  • // 1958
    In 1958, he met a receptionist, Maria Elena Santiago and became instantly attracted to her. He asked her to have dinner with him at P.J. Clarke’s. He was so smitten by her that he asked her to marry him on their first date itself. The duo got married on August 15, 1958, less than two months after their meeting.
  • // 3rd Feb 1959
    When he charted a private plane to take him to his next tour stop, little did he know that he would be breathing his last. The plane that was also carrying Ritchie Valens, Roger Peterson and Richardson, crashed a short while after take-off, killing all on board.

// Famous Texas peoples

Zach Herron

Zach Herron

All about American singer and Instagram personality including his age, birthday, girlfriends, net worth, and some fun facts.

Davis Cleveland

Davis Cleveland

Davis Cleveland is an American actor. Let’s have a look at his family & personal life including age, net worth, and fun facts.

Tina Woods

Tina Woods

Check out all that you wanted to know about Tina Woods, the famous Vine star; her birthday, her family and personal life, her boyfriends, fun trivia facts and more.

Lexee Smith

Lexee Smith

Lexee Smith is a dancer, actress, singer and model. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.

Arzaylea Rodriguez

Arzaylea Rodriguez

All about American social media star Arzaylea including her age, birthday, family life, boyfriends, and some fun facts.

Young Lyric

Young Lyric

Young Lyric is an American rapper, hip-hopper, dancer, YouTube star, and social media personality. Let’s have a look at her family & personal life including age, boyfriends, net worth, and fun facts.

Buddy Holly's FAQ

  • What is Buddy Holly birthday?

    Buddy Holly was born at 1936-09-07

  • When was Buddy Holly died?

    Buddy Holly was died at 1959-02-03

  • Where was Buddy Holly died?

    Buddy Holly was died in Grant Township, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, U.S.

  • Which age was Buddy Holly died?

    Buddy Holly was died at age 22

  • Where is Buddy Holly's birth place?

    Buddy Holly was born in Lubbock, Texas, U.S.

  • What is Buddy Holly nationalities?

    Buddy Holly's nationalities is American

  • Who is Buddy Holly spouses?

    Buddy Holly's spouses is María Elena Holly

  • Who is Buddy Holly siblings?

    Buddy Holly's siblings is Larry Holly, Travis Holly

  • What was Buddy Holly universities?

    Buddy Holly studied at Hutchinson Junior High School, Lubbock High School

  • What is Buddy Holly's cause of dead?

    Buddy Holly dead because of Plane Crash

  • Who is Buddy Holly's father?

    Buddy Holly's father is Lawrence Odell Holley

  • Who is Buddy Holly's mother?

    Buddy Holly's mother is Ella Pauline (Drake) Holley

  • What is Buddy Holly's sun sign?

    Buddy Holly is Virgo