SPRINGPORT HIGH SCHOOL

Biography: Buddy Holly

Donavin Anderson 12/20/2012

Donavin Anderson

Table of Contents

Page 2: Biography

Page 3: Famous/Significant songs

Page 4: Thatll be the Day Lyrics

Page 5: Picture Gallery

Page 6: Works Cited

Donavin Anderson

Buddy Holly
Charles Holley, later to be known as Buddy Holly, was a singer/songwriter/guitarist, most popular in the mid to late 1950s. Hollys musical career really began in 1956, when Buddy was signed on with Decca Records, misspelling has name as Holly, rather than Holley. Buddy adopted the name for his career. In 1957, Holly released his most popular song, Thatll be the Day, charting at 1st, on the Billboard top 100. Holly was an incredibly popular musician, winning over both white and black audiences, and at the high point of his career even rivaled Elvis Presleys popularity. Holly was offered a spot in the Winter Dance Part, a tour across the Midwest, opening on January 23rd, 1959. Following a performance at the Surf Ballroom, Illinois, Holly chartered a plane to take him, along with J.P Richardson (The Big Bopper), and Ritchie Valens to the next stop on the tour. Shortly after takeoff, the plane was caught in a snowstorm, which crashed shortly after, killing all occupants. Holly was one of the first in the genre to write, produce, and perform his songs. Buddy was truly a unique musician, and without a doubt one of the founding fathers of rock and roll. In my opinion, Buddy Hollys biggest achievement was his ability to reach both black and white audiences, one of the few musicians at the time capable of such a thing. This was a time when songs written and performed by blacks were actually covered by white musicians, just so they could be played on white radio stations. The fact that a white musician was so respected by both sections of music was astounding at the time. At the time of his death, Holly was 22, and had multiple charting songs, with Thatll be the Day remaining at number 1 for 14 weeks, It Doesnt Matter Anymore in the same position for 21 weeks. (U.K.) Because of Hollys incredible popularity, many of his songs, even previously rejected tunes, were released for 10 years after his death. Despite my previous knowledge of Holly, I was rather surprised at just how popular among all audiences he was. Holly played at primarily black theaters, such as the Apollo, in New York, one of the only musicians to do so. Holly, along with Elvis Presley, were 2 of the most important musicians of the 1950s, helping to bridge the racial gap. There is absolutely no desire to be Buddy Holly. I really enjoy his music, and believe he led an interesting life, but his death in the plane crash, at 22 years old, is just too early for me. Holly was an incredibly popular artist in his time, and surely led an interesting and fun life; however, it was cut short far too early. Weighing the early death against the fame and fun, I would not want to be Buddy Holly. Lacking my knowledge of an untimely death however, being Holly would be much more acceptable, and I believe that I would want to be him, fame, fortune, and everything else that comes from being a popular musician. The biggest thing I have learned about life from Buddy Holly is to live life to the fullest, as you never know when it will be cut short. I think it is safe to say, that Holly did what he loved, and was not unhappy at the time of his death. What is the purpose of life, if you dont like living it I believe Holly is the embodiment of this.

Table of Contents 2

Donavin Anderson

Buddy Holly-Most Significant/Charting Songs

Heartbeat

It Doesnt Matter Anymore

Maybe Baby

Not Fade Away

Oh Boy Peggy Sue Rave On

Thatll be the Day Well.Alright

Words of Love

Table of Contents 3

Donavin Anderson

Thatll be the Day

(Lyrics italicized) Well that'll be the day when you say goodbye Yeah, yes that'll be the day when you make me cry You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie 'Cause that'll be the day when I die Well, you gave me all your loving And your turtle doving All your hugs and kisses And your money too, well You know you love me, baby Still you tell me maybe That somebody, we'll be through Well, that'll be the day when you say goodbye Yeah, yes, that'll be the day when you make me cry You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie 'Cause that'll be the day when I die Well, that'll be the day when you say goodbye Yeah, yes, that'll be the day when you make me cry You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie 'Cause that'll be the day when I die Well, when cupid shot his dart, he shot it at your heart So if we'll ever part And I'll leave you You say and hold me And you tell me boldly That someday well be through Well, that'll be the day when you say goodbye Yeah, yes, that'll be the day when you make me cry You say you're gonna leave, you know it's a lie 'Cause that'll be the day when I die
Well, that'll be the day
Well, that'll be the day
Well, that'll be the day
Well, that'll be the day

Table of contents 4

Donavin Anderson

Picture Gallery

Buddy, performing on stage

Coral records cover art

The Buddy Holly Story

Buddy Holly Story, volume 2

Buddy Holly, circa 1958-59

Thatll be the Day cover art

Table of Contents 5

Donavin Anderson

Works Cited
"Buddy Holly - Television Tropes & Idioms ." Home Page - Television Tropes & Idioms . N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012. <http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Music/BuddyHolly?from=Main.BuddyHolly>. "Buddy Holly - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Holly>. "Buddy Holly Lyrics - Lyric Wiki - song lyrics, music lyrics." Lyrics by song, album, or music artist LyricWiki. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012. <http://lyrics.wikia.com/Buddy_Holly>. HOLLYWOOD, Sherri Cruz | For the Avalanche-Journal, Calif. Buddy Holly tattoos, Buddy Holly glasses, Hollys widow, and Maria Elena Holly. "Buddy Holly Archives | Celebrating the life and music of Buddy Holly." Buddy Holly Archives | Celebrating the life and music of Buddy Holly. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012. <http://www.buddyhollyarchives.com/>. "Music Minded: Buddy Holly: 75th Birthday celebrations this week." Music Minded. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Dec. 2012. <http://newwavegeo.blogspot.com/2011/09/buddy-holly-75th-birthdaycelebrations.html>.

MLA formatting by BibMe.org.

Table of Contents 6