Almanac Music: The Geek of ‘Texas Rock’ returns for one more show
BUDDY HOLLY
THE GEEK OF ‘TEXAS ROCK’ COMES BACK TO DO ONE MORE SHOW! LUBBOCK HIGH SCHOOL
‘THAT’LL BE THE DAY’ – when I die
Edited from a telephone interview on KDAV /1594 AM
Date: 31ST FEB 1959 – LUBBOCK TEXAS
Radio Jock: Chip Andrews: “And we are back! Good citizens of Lubbock, Holly! Holly! Holly! It still must be Christmas cause the presents keep coming, and in particular for all you teeny boppers attending Lubbock High… Radio KDAV can tell you that there is one Rock n Roll show you won’t wanna miss… Oh Boy! Your wishes have come true. We have news that Yes sir! The Brown Eyed Handsome Man is playing Lubbock ‘Home town’ for just one night only. That’s right folks. Back on his feet and well rested from that aeroplane malfunction outside of Clear Lake, Iowa… Woo! just a Heartbeat away, nearly took ‘Our Buddy’ to Rock n Roll Heaven – That’ll Be The Day! I spoke to Buddy by long distance telephone after his performance in Moorhead, Minnesota last night and said he and the boys would like to thank America for all the cards and best wishes and particular those coming from right here in Lubbock, Mailman Bring Me No more Blues.
Radio Jock: “Hi Buddy thank you coming on ‘Chip’s Request Line’ on KDAV –”
BH: “That’s ok! Can you hear me? There’s a lot of people making too much noise back here.”
Radio Jock: “Sounds like there’s a party going on?”
BH: “No party, just packing up the road gear and stuff.”
Radio Jock: “Buddy let me start by saying that the whole town is going to be there for the show… KDAV are going to broadcast live and the school council has approved the outside public address system to be used and for people to be seating or dancing on the football field.”
BH: “Golly, I’m chuffed… what can I say!”
Radio Jock: “ We hear on the grapevine, there could be a new song or two for the show?”
BH: “There could be a surprise or two. You might have to tell the folks to come to the show and see for themselves, me and the boys can’t wait to play to our home town crowd… Hey Peggy Sue can’t wait to see you there, don’t you go and get married or something.”
Promoter Irvin Feld has been kind enough to allow Buddy Holly some time off the Winter Dance Party tour and come to his old school and sing his greatest hits with The Crickets.
Radio Jock: “ I gotta ask, who’ll be the support act. There’s a rumour from a local radio station up in Fargo that a local outfit from there won a competition to play on the bill – A Bobby Vee and The Shadows?”
BH: “Well Ready Teddy It has not been announced as yet, but our manager Norman Petty thinks that Johnny & the Moondogs could be travelling to Lubbock. They are a new British band all the way from Liverpool, or someplace like that… You know Norman, he doesn’t give much away”.
Radio Jock: “I know you have other commitments, but need to ask what’s on everybody’s lips around these parts will you be singing That’ll Be The Day?”
BH: “Well, Maybe Baby … I guess I’m gonna be singing that one for a long time, you know, until I die or something like that! It won’t Not Fade Away for a while”
Radio Jock: “We just played the song Buddy and the phone here at KDAV hasn’t stopped ringing with calls to play it again. You, Norman and the boys must be thrilled. That’ll be the day has been re-released and charting on the Hit Parade again… the whole country is buying the record as some kind tribute to you. Everyday there seems to be a chorus of people singing the line – That’ll be the day when I die –“
BH: “So I’m told, Ritchie and The Big Bopper, they keep singing it to me back stage. The kids tonight went crazy when the boys and me finished our set with the song… and to top it off out come the rest of the acts to sing it… yeah man! Heaven can wait.”
Radio Jock: “Well Buddy It Doesn’t Matter Anymore but I can’t tell how much I’m looking forward to you and the Crickets coming back to Lubbock… And I’ve been meaning to ask this for a long, long time, that ‘Twang’ guitar sound… I don’t suppose you could tell our listeners and in particular our ‘wannabee Buddies’ how you and the Crickets do that sound?”
BH: “I could Rave on and tell your listeners’ how we do it… but Mr. Norman Petty would want that to stay one of his recording secrets… in fact I honestly don’t know… Heck I’m Just Learnin’ The Game when it comes to recording… I just say more twang! And there it is.”
Radio Jock: “I Love the sound of the bass and what’s that other sound… it’s like a bass but it sounds muffled or something?”
BH: “Yeah! It does sound nice, like an electric train coming from your speakers!”
Radio Jock: “And the way the song takes on a different feel in the second last chorus when you sing “when you make me cry” that’s genius!”
BH: “I think that was Waylon Jennings idea.”
Radio Jock: “Well Buddy I know you got to go and I’ve spent the boss’s quarter on the call, on behalf of the folks of Lubbock and all here at KDAV safe travels and see you at the hop!”
Please Note:The Writer by no means wishes to offend any living or dead people associated with The Holley Family, friends or living members of the Crickets.
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I’ve always loved Eddie Cochran’s, Three Stars; the song about the death of the those three stars, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J P Richardson(The Big Bopper) in that tragic plane crash of February 3,1959.
Cochran had been friends with them, being especially close to Buddy Holly. When you listen to Cochran’s recording his sobbing is audible as he sings of the tragedy.
Sadly he was dead by April 17 1960,killed in a car crash whilst touring England. There are stories of him waking screaming having premonitions of his own death, talking of meeting up again with his three friends.
Rock In Peace
Glen!
Thanks for your comments Glen … I’m in a band and one of the songs we do is Summertime Blues by Eddie Cochran…
I wanted the piece to be sort of a twilight zone episode. Points of interest in the storyline, the non-calendar date. 31st Feb! Bobby Vee got his break in a hastily named band The Shadows and got to play in Fargo in place of Buddy Holly in real life… Johnny & The Moondogs – was a name used by the Beatles in 1959… And I mention 12 of Buddy Holly’s songs in the story.