Category: On This Day…

February 4, 1959 – A day after the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, the Winter Dance Party tour continues in Sioux City, Iowa, with Fabian, Frankie Avalon, and Jimmy Clanton as the new headliners and Waylon Jennings singing Holly’s songs. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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February 4, 1956 – Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti” reaches its US chart peak of #17, giving him his first hit. Pat Boone’s version of the song out charts him, making #12 two weeks later. @littlerichard_ #ROCkabillyHop #TuttiFrutti #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3eBCrhl

February 3, 1979 – 20 years after the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, a tribute show featuring Del Shannon, The Drifters, Jimmy Clanton, The Whitesidewalls, and original Cricket Nikki Sullivan is held in Clear Lake, Iowa, where Holly’s last concert took place. The event went $4000 in the red but started an annual tradition. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3D2iyJT

February 3, 1959 – 22-year-old Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper (Jiles Perry Richardson Jr., 28,) and Ritchie Valens (17) died in a crash shortly after take-off from Clear Lake, Iowa, the pilot of the single-engined Beechcraft Bonanza plane was also killed. Holly hired the plane after heating problems developed on his tour bus. All three were traveling to Fargo, North Dakota, for the next show on their Winter Dance Party Tour which Holly had set – covering 24 cities in three weeks, to make money after the break-up of his band, The Crickets. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3T8yiAG

February 3, 1940 – Angelo D’Aleo of Dion & The Belmonts was born in the Belmont neighborhood of The Bronx, New York City. D’Aleo was drafted into the Navy in the late ’50s, leaving the group and missing the Winter Dance Party tour. Despite his enlistment, he managed to sing on every recording of the Belmonts. #HappyBirthday #OTD #RockNRoll #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop
https://amzn.to/3D1O6zr

February 2, 1959 – Following the “Winter Dance Party” show Buddy Holly books a private plane to fly himself and Crickets Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup to the next city on the tour. The Crickets give their seats to Valens and Richardson. Holly, Valens, and Richardson drive to Mason City and rent a plane to take them to Fargo, North Dakota, the nearest airport to the tour’s next stop in Moorhead, Iowa. The plane takes off just after midnight. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://youtu.be/cuAvg4zD11g

February 2, 1959 – Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, and Tommy Allsup perform and serve as backup musicians during the performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. Source: The Buddy Holly Center, 1801 Crickets Ave., Lubbock. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets @RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3TofxIV

February 2, 1957 – Fats Domino made an appearance on The “Perry Como Show” singing his hits “Blue Monday” and “Blueberry Hill.” “Blue Monday” was one of the earliest rhythm and blues songs to make the Billboard Pop charts, peaking at #5 and reaching the #1 spot on the R&B Best Sellers chart. @RealFatsDomino #FatsDomino #ROCkabillyHop #BlueMonday #BlueberryHill #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3CyX5Xc

February 2, 1957 – Dale Hawkins records “Susie Q.” Hawkins co-authored the song with bandmate Robert Chaisson. James Burton, known for his work with Ricky Nelson and later with Elvis Presley, played guitar on the cut. #ROCkabillyHop #DaleHawkins #SusieQ #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3g5PQ1o

February 2, 1940 – Alan Caddy (guitarist of The Tornados, Johnny Kidd & the Pirates) was born in Chelsea, London, England. #ROCkabillyHop #Tornados #JohnnyKiddAndThePirates #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3rQIjpR