I was raised with a deep and abiding love for Buddy Holly, one of the great fathers of rock-n-roll, the man who brought rhythm-and-blues to white audiences, country-western to black audiences, and helped create the vibrant fusion of rockabilly that gave birth to modern rock.

He is my father's favorite musician, and by the time I was in kindergarten, I could sing his entire discography from memory. I still can. He recorded music for only two years. He died at the age of 22. His influence, however, is alive and well.

Today Buddy Holly would have turned 75. Today he receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


I'd like to share one of my personal favorites with you in honor of this day, a song written by Buddy Holly, with vocals and acoustic guitar by him, recorded at home in his apartment the month before his tragic plane crash. Here's "Learning the Game":




And here's another favorite (also on YouTube): "Well... All Right."

* From today's LA Times: "Buddy Holly's 75th on Wednesday? That'll be the day."
* From LubbockOnline: "Holly's star on Hollywood Walk of Fame leads to Music Box concert."
* "Buddy Holly: 75 and Timeless"

"I'm not trying to stump anybody... it's the beauty of the language that I'm interested in."
- Buddy Holly