Tuesday marks 67 years since ‘The Day The Music Died’
(CBS, KYMA) - On February 3, 1959, rock 'n' roll singers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson were killed when their small plane crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa.
Pilot Roger Peterson was also killed, and the day was coined as "The Day The Music Died."
The three rising stars had just finished playing for about a thousand teens in Clear Lake, Iowa and were on their way to Fargo, North Dakota for another performance.
The four-seater aircraft took off at 1:00 a.m. Central in a light snowstorm and crashed within minutes, killing the three singers and the pilot. Investigators blamed cold and windy weather conditions for the crash.
Buddy Holly was 22 years old when he died. His hits included "Peggy Sue" and "That'll Be The Day."
Richie Valens, only 17, was known for his chart toppers "Donna" and "La Bamba." he had just completed his first movie, "Go Johnny Go."
J.P. Richardson, better known as the "Big Bopper," was a disc jockey and program director at KTRM in Beaumont, Texas. He also had a hit song, "Chantilly Lace."
