Buddy Holly

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.

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.

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.

‘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’.