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Feb. 3, 1997 - Bill Cooper
59:49
Buddy Holly Special #1
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the the
the the
Broadcasting on satellite GE1, transponder 7, 7.56 audio, and over 700 FM stations across the nation and around the world.
This is my daddy's station.
I'm Poop.
Classic radio like you always wished it could be.
101.1 FM.
1.1 FM, Eager.
Lights out of the power.
These are the power of the time.
Lights out of the purpose.
The power of the soul.
The power of the time.
1.1 FM, Eager.
Lights out of the power.
You're listening to the Hour of the Term.
I'm William Cooper.
Hello, everybody. You're listening to the Hour of the Time.
I'm William Cooper. Today is a famous day in history, depending on who you are, of
course.
Some people would not regard it as such.
So I'm going to take exactly three calls to see if someone else besides us knows exactly what happened on this day that is important to a lot of people, including me.
And whoever, if one of our three callers can guess, What today is famous for, they will win a free book of my choosing.
It's my choice, you don't get to pick.
But you will get a free book, and what you'll need to do is if you're the winner, we'll get your name, and then all you have to do is send us a postcard with your address on it, because I don't want to give your address on the air.
We will send you a book.
You'll be happy with it, I guarantee it.
So the number is 520-333-4578 and we're going to start the three calls right now.
We're only going to take three calls.
If you know what today is famous for, and there are a couple of people whom we've talked to today who know the answer to this, if you're one of those couple of people, don't bother calling because as soon as I recognize your voice, We're going to hang up on you. This is for people whom we
have not discussed anything with today about this broadcast. This broadcast is also
going to go over time. If you're an affiliate station or if you're listening on satellite, this
broadcast will not end at the normal time. It will go over time until it is finished,
and that may mean preempting some later programming, which will, of course, be made up
for some other time.
So, the number is 520-333-4578.
If you have the answer, if you know what this day, what happened on this day in history, then give me a call right now.
We're not going to wait around for you to make up your mind or look in the World Almanac We're going to start the clock ticking right now, and we're going to wait exactly five minutes to take these three calls, and after that time, we're going to go on with the broadcast and tell you what happened on this day, and you won't win a book.
So if you'd like to take a chance, excuse me folks, I've got a little fog in my throat.
If you'd like to take a chance on winning a free book, give me a call.
Good evening.
You're on the air.
Hi Bill.
Hi, Sharon.
What's this day famous for?
Uh, supposedly, the income tax law was ratified, but it was not.
Sorry, Sharon, you missed.
George Washington, I mean, the Wilson died today.
Nope, that's not it either.
Okay, thanks.
Sorry, nice try, and thanks for calling.
520-333-4578.
That's one call.
We're only going to take two more, so if you want to get your call in, you better do it right now before somebody beats you out.
Good evening, you're on the air.
Hello.
Turn off your radio.
Turn off your radio.
Okay, what's this day famous for?
I believe it's the Federal Reserve Act?
Nope.
Do you want to try one more guess?
I thought it was either Federal Reserve or Income Tax.
Well, it may be, but that's not what this broadcast is about today.
Okay, sir.
Well, I admire your effort, sir, and thank you.
Thank you for calling.
And thank you for trying.
520-333-4578.
You're all going to kick yourself when you hear it.
It's going to be a good broadcast for those of you who want to listen to it in its entirety.
We're going to go beyond our normal time.
That means, for you listeners on shortwave, you're going to miss a good portion of the later part of this broadcast.
Good evening.
You're on the air.
Hi, Bill.
What happened at Vero with Templars?
Oh well.
You're caller number three.
You want to try one more time?
Oh, I have no other idea.
No idea whatsoever?
No, not right.
I'm sure when you mention it, I'll kick myself.
Okay.
Well, maybe this will jog your memory.
Hello, baby.
See you next time.
You know what I like!
Chantilly Lake, and a pretty face, and a pony tail, and a stankin' bum, and a squiggle in the wall, and a giggle in the door.
Make the world go round!
Ain't nothin' in the world like a big-eyed girl to make you act so fun, and make you feel fine, but it makes you feel real loose, like a long-necked goose, like a turtledove, baby!
What's that, baby?
Oh, baby, you know what I like.
Sunshine, chilly days, got a pretty face, got a fawny tail.
Hangin' out, a-wigglin', a-walkin', a-wigglin' so long.
Make the world go round, round, round, ain't nothin' in the world I can't figure out, girl.
Make me act so funny, make me spend my money, make me feel real loose, like a lonely goose, like a girl.
Oh, baby, that's the one I like!
What's that, mother?
Take me over there!
Take me up at eight, and don't be late.
But baby, I ain't got no money on her.
Oh, all right, honey, we know what I like.
Boots and filly lace, got a pretty face.
On his tail, a hand down.
A wiggle and a walk, and a giggle, and it's all love.
Hey, the world goes round.
There ain't nobody in the world like a big-eyed girl.
They make me happy, so it's fun.
They make me feel fine.
They make me feel real loose, like a long-legged goose, and like a goat.
Oh, baby, that's right!
And that was the Big Bopper with Chantilly Mace.
And this might also jog your memory.
Oh, God.
I've had a very good time in all the years that I've been here.
It's just been so much fun to be here with you.
And I've had a lot of fun with my friends.
god Don't let your soul down, I said no, I just've told You
To call my number, I'm you only destroy Don't wanna see you cry over my fear
You're not the one I want to blame DW hayi payai kana
have a nice time SAD
I never doubted you, you should let me. I never did you think, cause I love my girl.
I never doubted you, you should let me. I never did you think, cause I love my girl.
I wonder how many of you listening fell in love listening to that last musical selection.
I'm going to let Wolfman Jack introduce you to the last subject and the main subject of today's broadcast.
This is Joe in Little Rock, way down in the valley.
Yeah, long distance.
You call from here around California?
Yeah, long distance.
My man, this is Nick. What type of entertainment you got this time?
All we got is you.
That'll be the day.
The late great money hogger and the woman jack show.
You take your money to hell. You don't love me baby.
And you tell me maybe back someday we'll all be through.
We'll all be okay. We'll be fine. We'll be there. We'll be there.
When you make me cry. You're just gonna leave.
You know it's a lie. I'll try to be the same.
When I die.
Well I died 🎵
I'll try to be the same.
The late great money hogger and the woman jack show.
You take your money to hell. You don't love me baby.
And you tell me maybe back someday we'll all be through.
Well, that'll be the day When you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day When you say goodbye
Yes, that'll be the day You know it's a life long
Sad to see the day Well I died well
When you shot his arms He shot and cut your heart
So big was that apartment alley He said it's old man's
And he said it's old man's You said you'd hold me, ain't you?
You said you'd hold me, ain't you?
On February the 3rd, 1959, ladies and gentlemen, a small plane piloted by Roger Peterson and
carrying as passengers J.P.
Richardson, also known as the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and Charles Buddy Holly took off from Clear Lake, Iowa, and shortly after, crashed, killing all aboard.
I'm going to read you an article from the Clear Lake, Iowa, Mirror Reporter, published on February the 5th, 1959.
The Headline is, Death of Singers, Here's Shock's Nation, Rock and Rollers, Pilot, Die in Tragic
Plane Crash.
There was no fearful omen of tragedy Monday night when 1,100 teenagers and their parents
packed the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake for a gala rock and roll dance.
Featured were four nationally known entertainers, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, the Big Bopper, Richie Valens, and Dion and the Belmonts.
The entertainers were full of pep, reacting joyously to the big crowd of young people.
The big bopper, J.P.
Richardson, who wrote the hit song, Chantilly Lace, and Richie Valens, author of several top hits, playfully Indian-wrestled backstage between acts.
Two hours after the dance, three of the four singers were dead, along with the pilot who was flying them to Fargo, North Dakota, for another appearance.
Their broken bodies were found in and around the wreckage of the light plane they had charted after the dance Monday night.
Dead were the pilot Roger Peterson, 21, of Clear Lake, Charles Buddy Holly, 22, of Lubbock, Texas, Richie Valens, we'll name Richard Valenzuela, 17, of Los Angeles, California, J.P.
the Big Bopper Richardson, 28, of Beaumont, Texas.
Word of their death, when the plane was found Tuesday morning in a snow-covered field six miles north of the airport, focused nationwide attention on Clear Lake.
The three singers are considered among the top rock and roll artists in the United States, and their recordings are currently on the best-selling list, some over the million mark.
The fatal crash occurred on the Albert Jewell Farm, in a pasture about a half-mile west of the farmhouse.
The plane, a Beechcraft Bonanza, chartered from the Dwyer Flying Service, took off about 1 a.m.
from the airport with the three men after they were taken to the airport by Carol Anderson, surf manager, his wife and son, Tommy.
It is believed to have crashed shortly thereafter into the field on the Jewel Farm.
Wreckage of the plane was discovered by Jerry Dwyer about 9.30 a.m.
Tuesday.
He had received no reports from the plane since it departed, and he began the search in another plane Tuesday morning.
The craft first scraped the ground at a spot in the middle of the field, breaking off one wing and other parts of the plane.
It then bounced and skidded about two hundred yards further to the northwest, scattering wreckage and debris along the way until it piled into a wire fence along the north end of the pasture.
The plane was completely demolished in the crash, but did not burn.
The bodies of the three entertainers were thrown from the plane, two of them lying a short distance to the south of the plane, and the third was thrown over the fence about twenty feet into the next field.
The body of the pilot was entangled amid the wreckage of the main part of the plane.
Ambulances took the victims to the Ward and Wilcox Funeral Homes in Clear Lake.
An investigation was launched by the Civil Aeronautics Administration after the crash to determine its cause.
Jerry Dwyer, operator of the flying service, could give no reason stating that the plane was in good condition and that Mr. Peterson was a competent pilot.
Indications pointed to the fact that the plane touched the ground at a low angle, skidding along the field instead of plunging steeply into the ground.
The only mark at the place where it first hit was a furrow scraped out by a wing tip.
Civil Aeronautics Administration investigators arrived in Clear Lake later Tuesday and remained overnight.
Guards were posted at the scene throughout the day and through Wednesday night to keep the wreckage intact for the investigation.
The major significance of loss of the three artists to the music world was indicated by the immediate requests of national press associations for full coverage.
Requests also have been received from Life magazine for pictures.
Other members of the troupe who appeared at the surf Monday night were traveling to Fargo by chartered bus.
Ironically, Buddy Holly had told K.R.I.B.
disc jockey Bob Hale at the surf that he didn't want to take a chance in the bus since it had broken down while traveling from Green Bay, Wisconsin to Clear Lake the day before.
The three, therefore, decided to charter the plane and take care of advance arrangements in Fargo Tuesday.
Valens, who only last year was a high school student at San Fernando, California, had just finished his first movie, and his song, Donna, sold more than a million records.
Richardson, known as the Big Bopper, won nationwide fame for the song, Chantilly Lace, which he wrote some months ago.
Buddy Holly, singing star of the Crickets, has made eight records, two of which, Peggy Sue and Battle Be The Day, sold over a million and a half copies.
His newest record just released is, It Doesn't Matter Anymore.
Roger Peterson, the pilot, was born May 24, 1931 at, looks like Alpha, the son of Arthur and Pearl Cramer Peterson.
He graduated from Fairview Consolidated School in 1954, attending Ross Aviation School at
Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was employed by the Graham Flying Service at Sioux City before coming
to Clear Lake about a year ago.
He was a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church at Ventura and of the Clear Lake Junior Chamber
Mr. Peterson and D. M. Lentz were married September 14, 1958, in Alta and had resided in Clearlake since their marriage in one of the Armsbury cottages on North Shore Drive.
Besides his wife, he is survived by his parents, two brothers, Ronald and Robert, one sister, Janet, his grandmother, Mrs. Elmer A. Peterson of Sioux Rapids.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m.
Thursday, today, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church with the Reverend E. H. Widman officiating.
Services also will be held at 2 p.m.
Friday at St.
Paul's Lutheran Church at Alka, with burial to be in the Storm Lake Memorial Cemetery.
Arrangements in Clear Lake were through the Wilcox Funeral Home.
The body of J.P.
Richardson was taken by Air Wednesday to Beaumont, Texas for funeral service.
He was born October 24, 1930, and is survived by his wife, Adrienne, and a daughter, Deborah, who are in New Orleans.
Mrs. Richardson also is expecting another child.
Arrangements here were through the Ward Funeral Home.
The body of Richie Valens was scheduled to be taken by rail whizzie to San Fernando, California for funeral services.
Richard Valenzuela was born May 13, 1941, to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Valenzuela.
He is survived by his mother, Concepcion Reyes, of Pacuena, California.
Arrangements for Mr. Valens were completed through the Ward Funeral Home.
The body of Charles Buddy Holly, who was born September 7, 1936, was taken by plane Wednesday afternoon to Lubbock, Texas for funeral services.
Arrangements here also were completed through the Wilcox Funeral Home.
Ladies and gentlemen, the world lost three very good entertainers.
Buddy Har has reached the status of cult hero.
And believe me, there is no better term for that.
We have here in this studio every recording that Buddy Holly ever made, and today, if the creek don't rise, we're going to play every single one of them.
We may take a break at 7 p.m.
Mountain Standard Time in order to allow the Jackie Petrou Broadcast To go on the air.
Normally we would preempt her broadcast for this special network presentation.
However, tonight she is going to be picked up by a couple of new affiliates and we certainly do not want her to miss out on that opportunity.
So, at 7 p.m.
Mountain Standard Time, we may take a break for one hour and come back and pick up where we left off and complete This special tribute to Richie Valens, J.P.
Richardson, also known as the Big Bopper, and, of course, Charles, Buddy Holly.
Since we don't have a tremendous collection of Richie Valens and J.P.
Richardson, we will concentrate and honor them all by playing every single recording that Buddy Holly ever made in his entire career.
And all of you who think that you've heard all of the records that Buddy Holly made, you're in for a big surprise, because this young man was prolific.
He was prolific, ladies and gentlemen.
He started off playing country and western.
His first recordings were country and western.
He then moved on to what then was known as the bop, and then finally to rock and roll.
He was truly an individual.
He did not take advice well.
He knew how he was supposed to sound, and by golly, he made sure that that's exactly the way that he did sound.
We hope that you all enjoy this special presentation, and we hope that you will not forget Richie Valens, J.P.
the Big Bopper Richardson, or Buddy Holly, for they have truly lent to all of us a lot of joy, an awful lot of some of the most wonderful music that has ever been written, produced, and recorded in the United States of America.
This is the first record that Buddy Holley ever recorded in his life.
It's called, ladies I've got to get you near me blues.
And I think you're going to find out that your conception of who Buddy Holly was is
going to change this evening.
We'll be interrupting with comment and an awful lot of...
the life and times of Buddy Holly.
Buddy Holly is a great singer. He's a great musician. He's a great artist. He's a great
musician. He's a great musician. He's a great artist. He's a great musician. He's a great
I'm going to interrupt with a comment and a lot of... the about the life and times of Buddy Holly.
musician. He's a great artist. He's a great musician. He's a great artist. He's a great
musician. He's a great artist. He's a great musician. He's a great artist. He's a great
musician. He's a great musician. He's a great artist. He's a great musician. He's a great
musician. He's a great artist. He's a great musician. He's a great artist. He's a great
musician. He's a great musician. He's a great artist. He's a great musician. He's a great
musician. He's a great artist. He's a great musician. He's a great artist. He's a great
musician. He's a great artist. He's a great artist. He's a great musician. He's a great
musician. He's a great musician. He's a great artist. He's a great musician. He's a great
Let's call it.
by soft grace in my heart.
I've got a soft place in my heart, and a secret garden on the left.
I'll let you know, dear, I'll look that way.
I'll let you know, dear, I'll look that way.
You never would have dreamed I'd do something like this.
But then you don't know that I was a disc jockey at the age of 16 for the Armed Forces Radio Network in Tokyo, Japan.
I was a disc jockey at the age of 16 for the Armed Forces Radio Network in Tokyo, Japan.
The tears I've shed for you are all in vain.
But if you resign, you'll be back again.
I've come back to you, and I'll no longer be so true.
I've got a soft place in my heart, my darling, for you.
On the band, or I should say in the band, that you're listening to, ladies and gentlemen, at this time,
was Buddy Holly who did all of the vocals, lead guitar, and Bob Montgomery did some of the vocals, played the guitar,
Sonny Curtis on the fiddle.
Probably Don Guess on the bass.
The exact person is unknown, but Don Guess played an awful lot with Buddy Holly when he was on his home turf.
was an unknown steel guitar player. Nobody's ever been able to find out who exactly that
was on soft place in my heart, door to my heart and flower of my heart. And these were
mostly recorded in Newman Recording Studios in Wichita Falls, Texas from 1954 through
1955. Additional accompaniment was by the Fireballs, added by Norman Petty Clovis, New
Mexico in 1964. Some of these that you're going to hear initially in this broadcast
were recorded at KDAB in Lubbock, Texas in 1954.
the exact dates are not really known.
I've got a soft place in my heart, my place Come on buddy, open up the door
To my heart I'll open the door and let the candle light
The door to my heart will always be open.
What you are not really needing is a step inside.
Now the door to tomorrow is still open wide And the world is still waiting for you
And the world is still waiting for you And the world is still waiting for you
And the world is still waiting for you And the world is still waiting for you
You would be good and she'd have it easy When I open the door, you'll enter the house of me
Now you've done my home, my love and my pride But the Lord is my hope, He is still my hope.
But the Lord is my hope, I'll open my heart.
But the Lord is my hope, He is still my hope.
Flower of my heart is next.
The Lord is my hope, He is still my hope.
wouldn't you know that if you open the door to your heart you'd find the flower
of my heart. Oh, please, would you be my lover? For you are the flower of my heart.
I'm not that sad and alone and I'm worried over you, but I'll never know if you will love him too.
Please come back to me my darling, for I believe I will come home. Come back, come back to me my darling,
for you are the flower of my heart.
I'm not that sad and alone and I'm worried over you, but I'll never know if you will love him too.
Please come back to me my darling.
Well, found the flower, opened the door, what do you call that?
I'm back, I'm back in my garden, for you are the flower of my heart.
Well, found the flower, opened the door, what do you call that?
Baby, it's love.
Take the sad thoughts of living, one minute I'll just be kidding.
Then my heart starts all over again, love, baby, it's love.
Destiny struck in my heart, and I've learned how far we've gone.
Then my heart starts to fly, love, baby, it's love.
Well, my excuses and lies won't make me even realize.
My heart's like a boat, I'm gonna get to the other side.
Seven years away to plan, one week, man, I'll begin my life.
I'll have the magic, yes, love, baby, it's love.
Baby, it's love.
Buddy Holly was often criticized, ladies and gentlemen, for having a deep problem.
Now he didn't see it that way, but this is one example where you can see the tempo speed
up and slow down.
It's times it seems to get ahead of the vocalist.
He's got the tempo, he's got the tempo.
And, you know, any love affair always brings with it a batch of...
memories.
You've left me all alone with memories.
I tried to love you when you were still.
I loved you with my heart's every beat.
Now my hopes are gone like the wind.
Let's do the same.
Thought you'd left me alone with memories.
I know that it may seem to you that I don't really care.
But someday when you're all alone and memories are back You'll know you've left me all alone, left me for me
And I'll be missing you, I'll be missing you I'll be missing you
I try forgetting what you mean to me But you're useless
For now I realize that I'm alone.
In my mind I really know that you are gone.
But my foolish heart refuses to see.
That's why you left me all alone with memories of you.
I know that it may seem to you that I don't really care, but someday when you're all alone and memories are left, you'll know you left me all alone with memories of you.
And those memories are going to send them downtown to the Queen of the Ballroom.
Oh, I remember the Queen of the Ballroom.
I think every man when he's young remembers the clue to the ballroom.
You're the queen of the ballroom, you're an elite man, son.
to your every song.
When I look upon you, I could be with you, Charles.
When I look up on you, I feel a real good chance.
You have all the things that you'll keep with you
You have all the things that you'll keep with you, love, in all the ways.
all throughout the days.
And I will love you forever and always.
And I will love you for the rest of my life always.
May I have you, may I have this dance.
Now I know you're the daughter of a noble man.
You're the queen of the ballroom, and I love you more and more.
Queen of the ballroom, queen of the ballroom.
And I love you more and more.
. . .
May I have you, may I have this dance.
Now I know you're the daughter of a noble man.
And wouldn't you know, soon as he met the queen of the ballroom, he had to gamble his heart.
And wouldn't you know, as soon as he met the queen of the ballroom, he had to gamble his
heart.
Now he's the way it always goes.
Every mother knows.
Oh When you love someone and they're trying to fall.
When you lost the war, that's when you started to fall. You climbed up the roof of our church and you fell. You climbed
up the wall, you got that thing to do. You broke the man's eyes, oh, and you fell.
You got that thing to do.
I've been a warrior, Lord.
Since I've been alive, I've been wild.
I've been a soldier, Lord, since I was five. I've been a warrior, Lord. I've been a warrior.
I'm a big fish, I want to go to the sea.
Well, they'll call and they'll let you fall. They'll wish you off, they'll thank you for everything. They'll love you
and they'll need you so.
I've been a warrior, Lord. Since I've been alive, I've been wild. I've been a soldier, Lord. Since I was five. I've
been a warrior, Lord. I've been a warrior.
And of course, once you've gambled your heart, now you and I are through.
look But Kermie, we just started!
We're through.
Oh no!
I'm gonna go find Peggy soon.
You said you were easy, you won't let me, but now I'm fine.
I love you, I love you too, but then I guess this is how you do it now.
I love you, my darling, I love you every day.
Suddenly my heart is over the moon, please You better be back to Tokyo from this world that I'll get into, that's
how You said you were leaving me, you told her that you would
come back ♪♪♪
I knew the parts of the blues but you said I'd guess It's how you do it now
I love you in my body and I love you in my dreams It's frightening how long it is for I'm just waiting for
you You love me like a ghost and I found a piece of powder
And you do it now I love you in my body and I love you in my dreams
It's frightening how long it is for I'm just waiting for you
You love me like a ghost and I found a piece of powder I'm taking you, I'm gone. Now you're gone. The sun beneath
the stars is gone. Now you're gone. Now you're gone. Now you're gone. Now you're gone.
Now you're gone. Now you're gone.
Now you're gone. The sun beneath the stars is gone.
Why am I crying?
And I'm all alone.
And I'm all alone, and I know I'm drunk, and I adore you.
Oh, what I'd give for the last time I'd take the love that I've got.
I think it's so wrong.
So I'm wrong.
I'm all alone.
Now you're gone.
Well, sing it like that.
Have you ever been lonely?
Have you ever been lonely?
Have you ever seen peace?
And I'm standing here at the edge of the sea And Jesus has never loved someone as much as I have
And I'm standing here at the edge of the sea I'm dying to see what it is I believe in
Can't you see I'm burning? Can't you see I'm burning?
Be a little positive, say something to my heart How can I go on living while you're here apart?
Say what I think is in your heart Are you really this nice? Are you really this nice?
Love you.
Mother?
I'm a man of my word.
Mother?
Mother, I'm moving on down the line, Mom.
Won't be home for a long, long time.
I'm gonna be a little bit of a mess.
their full record probably never even entered their heads.
They were, after all, only intending to send tapes and acetate dubs to record companies and agents who might, if they were lucky, invite them to record professionally.
All the recordings that you're listening to right now were made as demonstration tapes, and would no doubt, most probably, have remained unheard by other than a few people had it not been for the demand for previously unreleased recordings in the years following Buddy Holly's death.
In many cases, the recordings were made on domestic equipment, and those that were made in professional studios often only survived as doves, which, after many claims, began to show signs of In 1961, Holly's manager, Norman Petty, began collecting these tapes and dubs from various sources, including Buddy Holly's family, friends, and business associates.
Bob Montgomery had kept copies of the demos he had made with Buddy, and further tapes
came from High Pockets Duncan, a Lubbock disc jockey who played a considerable part in getting
Buddy and Bob started professionally. Most of these tapes were then overdubbed by musicians
under Norman Petty's direction in an attempt to make them more acceptable for the commercial
market. Unfortunately, no one thought to use the musicians who had accompanied Buddy during
his career, and the results were varied in their degree of success. The recordings on
this broadcast were overdubbed at various times between 1962 and 1968, the musicians
being members of the Fireballs, a group who achieved some considerable success on their
own account throughout the 1960s.
You just heard Buddy and Bob's attempts to come to terms with the country and western market in the early fifties.
Most of the tracks were recorded in their hometown of Lubbock, and at Messman Recording
Studios in Wichita Falls, Texas.
The Lubbock demos were made at KDAV, a radio station which offered local musicians a chance
to perform live on the Sunday Party, an afternoon program hosted by, yup, you guessed it, High
Pockets Duncan.
He said, quote, those boys were pretty enthusiastic about playing to an audience, and he remembers
that I could see they had something new.
Now a lot of the kids that came down to the station had talent, but the big thing about Buddy and Bob, and Buddy in particular, was their determination to get out and get going."
Apart from being a DJ, High Pockets took care of booking better-known artists into local venues like the Cotton Club.
At the time, Lubbock's most successful country Dance Hall.
Artists like Marty Robbins, Furman Husky, and Porter Wagoner all played the Cotton Club, and Buddy and Bob tried their hardest each time to convince High Pockets that he should have them on the show as a supporting act.
In many cases, he was able to favor them.
They didn't earn much money, but the boys were happy to be on the same stage as the artists they idolized.
Later, KDAB and High Pockets booked Elvis Presley, at the time just getting started on Sun Records, into the club, and Buddy and Bob went along.
Buddy talked to Elvis, and later reported to Duncan that he was, quote, a real nice, friendly fellow, end quote.
The next day, Buddy and Bob appeared with Elvis in a show to mark the opening of the local Pontiac dealer's showroom.
And it wasn't long before Presley began to have a definite influence on Holly's singing, to the extent that his performance on the next Sunday party show included several of Presley's songs.
Drummer Jerry Allison had become friendly with Buddy Holly during 1955, but at the time had few opportunities to play in the band that by now included Larry Weldman on bass.
When I started out with them, they had a group that was really just a duo in junior high school.
That was the first time I saw them play, and they were strictly country music then.
Then the band got bigger.
I joined, and they got a steel guitar player.
Then Sonny Curtis began playing fiddle with them.
We started putting in a few rock and roll songs, but still playing mostly country.
Then later, it became all rock and roll.
Or bop, as we called it.
with a little country flavor, and folks, when I first went to junior high school, the bop was the big thing.
Most of you listening don't even know what I'm talking about, but you're going to hear some bop in just a few moments.
Jerry goes on to say, Then Elvis came along and we did every record he had out. Then when
he came to Lubbock, he didn't have a drummer. So the group went back to being just Buddy
and Bob with Larry playing bass. But he didn't want drums, because Elvis didn't have drums.
So I just hung out and didn't play. Then one day Elvis came through again, and he had drums,
so we started having drums again.
By the time Buddy and Bob had left high school, they had seriously begun to consider the chances
of getting on a record label.
With this in mind, they made several demo recordings, which came close in style to Elvis' son recordings.
Sid King, at that time a popular rockabilly singer from Dallas, Texas, had met Holly a couple of times and remembers hearing the demos he had made in Dallas.
Among them, Baby, let's play house.
Title, I want to play house, in error on previous releases, and down the line.
We were recording then for Columbia, and Buddy thought we were a big deal.
Like when we went to Lubbock, he'd come up to the bandstand at the Cotton Club, and he'd want to sit in with us.
So we let him.
But at that time, he was on an Elvis Presley kick.
Everything he did was Elvis.
It sounded exactly like him, even on the dubs he made.
Sid also remembers Buddy's enthusiasm, like the time he suggested the group come up to Dallas, where Sid was pretty sure of getting them on the Big D Jamboree, which was the biggest country show in the area.
You couldn't say something like that to Buddy, because he'd be there the next day, and that's kind of what happened.
He didn't call us or anything.
He just drove all the way down to Dallas on the Friday, and we were due to go on on the Saturday.
He didn't get paid or anything, but they let him go on, and he did real well during his Presley bit.
At the time, Buddy and Bob were less concerned with making money than with getting in front of an audience.
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