By Joseph Martinez -

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored the late Buddy Holly with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday, September 7, 2011. Buddy Holly would have been 75 years old had he not lost his life in a tragic plane crash on February 3, 1959.

Holly left a legacy of music for which he was honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The ceremony, held in front of the Capitol Records building at 1750 N. Vine Street, was attended by his widow Maria Elena Santiago, Phil Everly of the Everly brothers (close friends of Holly’s and played many shows together), Peter Asher of Peter and Gordon  (were inspired by Holly from the moment they formed their duo, and made Holly’s “True Love Ways” a worldwide hit), and actor Gary Busey, (played Holly in "The Buddy Holly Story." in 1978 and was later nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal).

In only 18 months, from when Buddy Holly and the Crickets hit the charts with their first release, “That’ll Be The Day,” to when he died in a tragic plane crash, Holly topped the charts with more than 27 Top 40 hits worldwide, with “That’ll Be The Day” going to No. 1. Even after his death, Holly went to No. 1 with “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.” From rock to country to R&B, Holly’s songs have charted consistently for more than 50 years, a true testament to his music and his influence that continues to this day. Brian Wilson said it simply:  “Buddy Holly is unique…his music matters because it is timeless.”

Holly died on February 3, 1959, often referred to as “the day the music died.” But even in his short time, Buddy Holly changed the sound and look of rock 'n' roll forever, leaving a permanent standard that continues to influence artists all over the world.    


Buddy Holly Trivia per TV.com:

• Even though Buddy Holly is recognized as a legend in music, he never won a Grammy.
• Holly's hit, "Peggy Sue," was originally given the title of "Cindy Lou." However, Holly's drummer, Jerry Allison, asked Holly to rename it to Peggy Sue, in honor of his girlfriend and future wife, Peggy Sue Gerron.
• The Beatles got the idea of the name of their band from the name of Holly's band, The Crickets
• Buddy Holly died on February 3, 1959, in a plane crash, along with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper.
• Don McLean's 1971 hit "American Pie" was inspired by and makes reference to the tragic plane crash which claimed Buddy’s life.
• In 1986, he was among the first group of stars to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame upon its formation.
• Buddy Holly married Maria Elena Santiago August 15, 1958.
• The music group The Hollies were named in honor of Buddy Holly.
• In the movie The Searchers John Wayne’s character repeatedly says, “That’ll Be the Day”. This phrase influenced Buddy to write the hit song of the same name.
• Teenagers Paul McCartney and John Lennon saw Buddy and the Crickets play in Liverpool in March of 1958 and often cited Holly as a primary influence on their music.
• Although his last name is legally “Holley” an early record contract had his name misspelled “Holly” and he continued to use this spelling throughout his career.

Archival Publicity Photo Courtesy of The Hollywood Archive Picturevaults