Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BUDDY HOLLY!

February 3rd yes? Johnny did a write up of the 50th anniversary of 'The Day the Music Died' some seven years ago here so tonight with it being a certain anniversary and all we're going to play one of Johnny's mostest favorite songs from one of rock and roll's most important performers, songwriters, producers and rock stars all rolled into one. Buddy Holly with 'Rave On'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BUDDY HOLLY!

A real treat tonight kids, this track, 'Well....All Right' is played here on an old 78 rpm record player. You can hear the scratches and little pops as your, christ, grandparents would have listened to it on.

History and a really great song.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BUDDY HOLLY!

We need to quick take back the image of Lubbock Texas away from the stupid woman who feels segregation is needed in light of a cop going wild at a pool party and give it back to it's rightful owner, Buddy Holly. Taking it all back in a good way, here's one Charles Hardin HollEy with 'Rave On'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BUDDY HOLLY!

Johnny knew Buddy was making the Music Series tonight when he heard 'American Pie' by Don McLean in the shower this morning. So let's get to it, Buddy Holly with 'Well All Right'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BUDDY HOLLY!

Anyone who loves rock and roll is indebted to Buddy Holly to this day. Such an innovator. 'Rave On' was one of his best songs and what better way to get the Music Series kicked off for another week.

We're getting so close to 2011 you can almost taste it

So why not taste it at the famed Arnold restaurant? It's like famous from the 50's and then maybe the 70's or something. Wasn't Maude a waitress there? Then in the 90's Weezer made Arnold's cool and stuff again.

Weezer as we roll on with 'Buddy Holly'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BUDDY HOLLY!

Buddy Holly wraps things up tonight with 'Not Fade Away'

50 years ago this very night, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper gave their final performances

Even before the rickety tour bus rolled into Clear Lake Iowa on the 'Winter Dance Party' tour on February 2, 1959, Buddy Holly had decided he would try to rent a plane ride to the tour's next stop in Fargo, North Dakota. The heaters on the busses had broken several times while wind chills on the highways between no more than whistle stop concerts across the upper midwest dipped to 30 below zero. Some on the tour suffered frostbite while riding on the bus. Members of the tour huddled under blankets and whatever else they could find to stay warm. Laundry was a luxury that hadn't been done in two weeks.

When Buddy got to Clear Lake ready to play the Surf Ballroom that night, he called ahead to Dwyer's Flying Service in Mason City Iowa. He contracted a pilot named Roger Peterson. You know the rest of the story, the weather was bad, and Peterson had recently failed his instrument flying test. Instrument flying would have been most necessary on this frigid night with gusty winds and snow squalls about. About 15 minutes after the Beechcraft Bonanza took off, it crashed in Albert Juhl’s corn field, shortly before 1am on February 3rd. All four were killed on impact. If you're all about the history of this night, you can see Buddy and Richie's death certificates online at the website Find-a-Death (Buddy's and Richie's) but we warn you, it's grim.

You know your old friend Johnny would bring you a local angle on this story and here it is; Buddy's apartment building in NYC is still there, in Greenwich Village. You can walk up and see Buddy's former home at 5th Avenue and 9th Street, the Brevoort. Buddy used to like to go down to Washington Square at the fountain and play unnoticed and give tips to aspiring musicians.

Tonight, at the Surf Ballroom back in Clear Lake, they'll have a humdinger of a live show to commemorate the lives of those lost too soon. Bobby Vee, Graham Nash, Los Lobos, Wanda Jackson, Los Lonely Boys, the remaining Crickets and Maria Elena Holly, Buddy's widow will all be on hand.

Tonight is the only night you're not gonna get a late night open thread. Instead we're going to let the music of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens take you wherever it is music takes you when you're sad, reflective, melancholy, and yet grateful to those we lost 50 years ago this night.

Buddy Holly-Peggy Sue


Richie Valens-Oh Donna


The Big Bopper-Chantilly Lace