At about 1:00 a.m. CST, about four minutes after taking off from the Mason City, Iowa airport, the chartered airplane containing Buddy Holly (Peggy Sue, That’ll Be The Day), Ritchie Valens (Donna, La Bamba), and the “Big Bopper” J.P. Richardson (Chantilly Lace), crashed into an Iowa field, instantly killing all three and the pilot Roger Peterson. Headed for the next “Winter Dance Party” tour stop in Fargo, North Dakota, the plane had been chartered by Holly so that the band members could travel in heated comfort (their tour bus had a broken heater) and arrive early for the next show. The pilot, not informed of worsening weather conditions, decided to fly “on instruments,” meaning without visual confirmation of the horizon, which led to the crash. Richardson was 28, Holly was 22, and Valens was 17. Don McLean later immortalized the tragedy in his classic song “American Pie,” calling this “the day the music died.”
Holly and “J. P.” Richardson Jr “Bopper” widowed pregnant wives. Holly’s wife miscarried upon the news.
1978
On the 19th anniversary of Buddy Holly’s death, his birth home in Lubbock, Texas was saved from scheduled demolition by its new owner who bought the house days earlier.
1979 A sold-out concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, was held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. Wolfman Jackhosted the show, which featured performances by Del Shannon, Jimmy Clanton, the Drifters, and an appearance by original Cricket Nikki Sullivan.
2009
The Day the Music Died – TIME ‘The day the music died’? Hardly – CNN.com Remembering the ‘Day the Music Died’ – NY Daily News February 3, 1959: The Day the Music Died | Mental Floss
This 6 LP boxed set of Buddy’s recordings from Lubbock to New York is one of my faves to play. Hearing the familiar That’ll Be the Day music to Buddy’s chirping “This is Norman’s ID” was hysterical.
When the movie “La Bamba” came out, I thought it was a fictional story.
Like most of the audience as it turned out.
near the end, when Buddy Holly appears, I remember the sudden collective gasp of breath and moan of dispair, of the audience, myself included, realizing this was a biopic, not a fictional movie about 50s rock n roll.
Prior to his second appearance on the ‘Dorsey Brothers Stage Show’, the following day; Elvis returns to New York for a second recording session at RCA’s New York Studio, The session was to record an LP not just sides of singles.
At RCA’s New York studio between 10.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. Elvis recorded:
The New York Times” ran a story entitled “Presley Records a Craze in Soviet Union.” The article was about bootleg records being made in the Soviet Union since Elvis records were not legally available.
The Silhouettes reached #1 on the R&B chart with “Get A Job”.
The Blossoms, a girl group of professional backup singers released their own single, “Have Faith In Me.” When it didn’t chart, they went back to the lucrative world of session singing. Elvis hired them for the 1968 tv special.
The Royal Teens’ biggest hit, “Short Shorts” enters the US record charts on its way to number 3. The song was originally an instrumental warm up number that the group added silly lyrics to. The tune was recorded in about twenty minutes of left over studio time and released after a record label executive took a liking to it.
Feb 3 – March 1960: Goethestr.14 in Bad Nauheim, Germany
At about 1:00 a.m. CST, about four minutes after taking off from the Mason City, Iowa airport, the chartered airplane containing Buddy Holly (Peggy Sue, That’ll Be The Day), Ritchie Valens (Donna, La Bamba), and the “Big Bopper” J.P. Richardson (Chantilly Lace), crashed into an Iowa field, instantly killing all three and the pilot Roger Peterson. Headed for the next “Winter Dance Party” tour stop in Fargo, North Dakota, the plane had been chartered by Holly so that the band members could travel in heated comfort (their tour bus had a broken heater) and arrive early for the next show. The pilot, not informed of worsening weather conditions, decided to fly “on instruments,” meaning without visual confirmation of the horizon, which led to the crash. Their plane took off a little after 1 AM from Clear Lake, Iowa, when a cold North-East wind gave way to a blinding snow storm which drastically reduced visibility. Encased in a sea of snow with only white below, pilot Roger Peterson seemed to become disoriented and flew the plane into the ground. One wing hit the frozen earth and the small plane tumbled over and over, killing the three musicians and the plane’s young pilot. Richardson was 28, Holly was 22, and Valens was 17.
Don McLean later immortalized the tragedy in his classic song “American Pie,” calling this “the day the music died.”
Report written on February 3, 1960, by Major Warren H. Metzner, chief of the Army’s Investigations Branch, regarding Quack Skin Doctor Griessel-Landau further threatened to expose Presley
The Hollywood Decade/The Elvis Establishment
February 3, 1961
In New York, Bob Dylan made his first recording, taping “San Francisco Bay Blues”.
February 3, 1962
Gene Chandler‘s “The Duke Of Earl” tops the Cashbox Best Sellers chart for the first of a five week stay. In 2002 the record was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and has also been selected by The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.
Elvis Presley’s single “Can’t Help Falling In Love” hit #2 in the U.S.
The #1 Easy Listening song was “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley for the fourth week.
February 3, 1963
30-year-old Johnny Thunder, whose real name was Gil Hamilton, enjoys his only Billboard Top 40 hit when his rendition of the children’s nursery song “Loop De Loop” peaks at #4. Before finding solo success, he had been a touring member of The Drifters and recorded as a backup singer for Dionne Warwick. Thunder would go on to release several follow-up singles, of which “Everybody Do The Sloopy” was the most successful, reaching #67 in late 1965.
Paul McCartney went to see Stevie Wonder perform at the Scotch of St. James Club in London, then met the 15-year-old backstage.
Elvis arrived in Los Angeles and settled into his new home at 10550 Rocca Place, Bel Air, which, like the Bellagio house, was rented from Mrs. Reginald Owen.
This new ranch-style house was meant to offer more privacy for Elvis and Priscilla. Marty Lacker, who was responsible for its interior decoration, would reside there along with Charlie Hodge. The others had their own homes by now – but also, camera technology allowed a greater access for professional photographers.
February 3, 1967
the Drifters, the Marvelettes, Otis Redding, Aaron Neville and James and Bobby Purify in concert at the Civic Coliseum, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Jefferson Airplane and Quicksilver Messenger Service were in concert at the Fillmore in San Francisco, California.
Joe Meek, a British Pop and Rock producer, kills his landlady before shooting himself in the head. He is best remembered for the instrumental hit, “Telstar”, which he wrote for the Tornadoes.
February 3, 1968
Otis Redding’s “(Sitting on) The Dock of the Bay” charted, rising to #1 R&B (three weeks) and #1 pop (four weeks). The posthumously-issued 45 would sell more than a million copies and even reach #3 in England.
One Hit Wonders The Lemon Pipers went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Green Tambourine’ the song was a No.7 hit in the UK. The song has been credited as being one of the first bubblegum pop chart-toppers.
The Supremes were so big in England that a performance they made in a London club the month before was recorded and aired tonight as a British TV special called The Supremes Live at the Talk of the Town.
Aretha Franklin made it three weeks at #1 on the R&B chart with “Chain Of Fools”. It was her 18th week at #1 within the R&B genre in less than a year.
1968: Dionne Warwick had one of the fastest-moving songs as “(Theme From) Valley of the Dolls” moved from 61 to 33.
The Beatles record Paul McCartney’s “Lady Madonna” at Abbey Road studios in just three takes. The Fats Domino inspired tune will reach #1 in the UK and #4 in the US. Domino himself would release a cover version of the song that topped out at #100 on the Billboard chart later in the year.
The Lemon Pipers scored a #1 with “Green Tambourine”. John Fred & His Playboy Band suddenly lost their way with “Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)” while Aretha Franklin was down with “Chain Of Fools”. Dennis Yost and the Classics IV had a big hit with “Spooky” and the American Breed remained fifth with “Bend Me, Shape Me”. The rest of the Top 10: Gary Puckett, from Twin Falls, Idaho, & the Union Gap with “Woman, Woman”, Paul Mauriat roared from 18 to 7 with “Love Is Blue”, the Human Beinz moved in with “Nobody But Me”, the Lettermen had a big hit with their medley–“Goin’ Out Of My Head/Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and the Temptations moved from 15-10 with “I Wish It Would Rain”.
The Beatles held on to the #1 position on the Album chart for the fifth week with the “Magical Mystery Tour” Soundtrack.
February 3, 1969
The Beatles hired Allen Klein to be their new manager. John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all agreed, but Paul McCartney would not sign the agreement because he thought Klein had a bad reputation.
The Vegas Artist in Residence and Tour Decade
February 3, 1970
Led Zeppelin II was in the Top 20 on both the UK & US album charts after peaking at No.1. The album went on to spend 138 weeks on the UK chart. The album is now recognised by writers and music critics as one of the greatest and most influential rock albums ever recorded.
Artist In Residence: Dinner and Midnight shows at the International
Date:
03 Feb 1970
Time:
8.30pm
Venue:
Las Vegas NV.
Int. Hotel
Tickets:
2,200
Costume:
Unknown
Track list:
All Shook Up
I Got A Woman
Proud Mary
Don’t Cry Daddy
Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel
Long Tall Sally
Let It Be Me
I Can’t Stop Loving You
Walk A Mile In My Shoes/In The Ghetto
Kentucky Rain
Sweet Caroline
Polk Salad Annie
[band introductions]
Suspicious Minds
Can’t Help Falling In Love
Recordings:
Date:
03 Feb 1970
Time:
Midnight
Venue:
Las Vegas NV.
Int. Hotel
Tickets:
2,200
Costume:
Unknown
Track list:
Unknown
Recordings:
0
Engagement – Tour Ref: Las Vegas Season 2 – Las Vegas January 26th – February 23rd 1970
In the Locarno Ballroom at the Lanchester Arts Festival in Coventry, England, Chuck Berry recorded the live concert version of Dave Bartholomew’s novelty song “My Ding-A-Ling.” Released as a single a few months later, it became Berry’s first #1 record and his first million seller.
Artist In Residence: Dinner and Midnight shows at the Hilton Hotel Las Vegas
Date:
03 Feb 1972
Time:
8.30pm
Venue:
Las Vegas, NV.
Hilton Hotel
Tickets:
2,200
Costume:
Unknown
Track list:
Unknown
Recordings:
0
Date:
03 Feb 1972
Time:
Midnight
Venue:
Las Vegas, NV.
Hilton Hotel
Tickets:
2,200
Costume:
Unknown
Track list:
Unknown
Recordings:
0
Engagement – Tour Ref: Las Vegas Season 6 – Las Vegas January 26th – February 23rd 1972
Elton John started a three-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Crocodile Rock’. Elton’s first of five US No.1 singles.
The Moody Blues had the highest debut with their great song “I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)”.
Elvis Presley’s single “Separate Ways” hit #20 in the U.S.
Artist In Residence: Dinner and Midnight shows at the Hilton Hotel Las Vegas
Date:
03 Feb 1973
Time:
8.30pm
Venue:
Las Vegas, NV.
Hilton Hotel
Tickets:
2,200
Costume:
Unknown
Track list:
2001 Theme
C C Rider
I Got A Woman
– segued medley with –
Amen
Until Its Time For You To Go
You Dont Have To Say You Love Me
Steamroller Blues
You Gave Me A Mountain
Fever
Love Me
Blue Suede Shoes
Love Me Tender
Johnny B Goode
Hound Dog
What Now My Love
Suspicious Minds
Band Introductions
Ill Remember You
I Cant Stop Loving You
An American Trilogy
Cant Help Falling In Love
Closing Vamp
2001 Theme
C C Rider
I Got A Woman
– segued medley with –
Amen
Until Its Time For You To Go
You Dont Have To Say You Love Me
Steamroller Blues
You Gave Me A Mountain
Fever
Love Me
Blue Suede Shoes
Love Me Tender
Johnny B Goode
Hound Dog
What Now My Love
Suspicious Minds
Band Introductions
I Cant Stop Loving You
An American Trilogy
Cant Help Falling In Love
Closing Vamp
Artist In Residence: Dinner and Midnight shows at the Hilton Hotel Las Vegas
Date:
03 Feb 1974
Time:
8.30pm
Venue:
Las Vegas NV.
Hilton Hotel
Tickets:
2,200
Costume:
Unknown
Track list:
Also Sprach Zarathustra
See See Rider
I Got A Woman/Amen
Love Me
Trying To Get To You
Sweet Caroline
Love Me Tender
Johnny B. Goode
Hound Dog
Fever
Polk Salad Annie
Killing Me Softly By Voice
Spanish Eyes
Why Me Lord
Suspicious Minds
[band introductions]
I Can’t Stop Loving You
Help Me
American Trilogy
Let Me Be There
Can’t Help Falling In Love
Recordings:
Date:
03 Feb 1974
Time:
Midnight
Venue:
Las Vegas NV.
Hilton Hotel
Tickets:
2,200
Costume:
Unknown
Track list:
Also Sprach Zarathustra
See See Rider
I Got A Woman/Amen
Love Me
Trying To Get To You
Sweet Caroline
Love Me Tender
Johnny B. Goode
Hound Dog
Fever
Polk Salad Annie
Killing Me Softly By Voice
Spanish Eyes
Why Me Lord
Suspicious Minds
[band introductions]
I Can’t Stop Loving You
Help Me
American Trilogy
Let Me Be There
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Can’t Help Falling In Love
Recordings:
Engagement – Tour Ref: Las Vegas Season 10 – Las Vegas January 26th – February 9th 1974
Harry Chapin meets with US President Jimmy Carter and the pair announce the creation of The Presidential Commission on Domestic and International Hunger and Malnutrition.
On the 19th anniversary of Buddy Holly’s death, his birth home in Lubbock, Texas was saved from scheduled demolition by its new owner who bought the house days earlier.
The TV movie Dead Man’s Curve, which was based on the lives of Jan And Dean, airs on ABC. The film features cameo appearances by Dick Clark, Wolfman Jack, and Beach Boys’ Mike Love and Bruce Johnston. Jan Berry himself and his parents appear in the audience at the end of the movie.
1979
Blondie had their first of five UK No.1 singles, with ‘Heart Of Glass’, taken from the band’s third studio album, Parallel Lines.
A sold-out concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, was held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. Wolfman Jack hosted the show, which featured performances by Del Shannon, Jimmy Clanton, the Drifters, and an appearance by original Cricket Nikki Sullivan.
Chic had the #1 song for a sixth week with “Le Freak”. There were two new excellent songs in the Top 10: “Fire” by the Pointer Sisters and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”, which moved from 20 to 10.
The novelty project Briefcase Full of Blues by the Blues Brothers (Dan Aykroyd & John Belushi) reached #1 on the Album chart. Rod Stewart edged up with Blondes Have More Fun. Billy Joel’s previous #1 52nd Street was next, followed by You Don’t Bring Me Flowers from Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand’s Greatest Hits, Volume 2. The rest of the Top 10: C’est Chic from Chic, The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. I, the Greatest Hits package from Barry Manilow, Foreigner was at #9 after 31 weeks with Double Vision and the Village People were at #10 with Cruisin’.
1982 Elvis Presley Enterprises/Graceland Tourism
1983 Actor ExWife: Priscilla Presley
1983
After cracking the Billboard Top 40 on four earlier occasions, the six-man, L.A. band known simply as Toto achieves their first and only US number one record with “Africa”.
1990
For the first time ever, the UK Top 3 singles featured non-British and non-American acts. Ireland’s Sinead O’Connor, Australia’s Kylie Minogue and Belgium’s Technotronic. Sinead O’Connor had her first No.1 single with Nothing Compares To U’, a song written by Prince.
Michael Bolton’s version of “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You” was the #1 song for a third week. Paula Abdul moved from 8-2 with “Opposites Attract” while Rod Stewart remained third with “Downtown Train”.
In passing one of the great longevity tests of all-time, Paula Abdul took over at #1 on the Album chart after 81 weeks of release with Forever Your Girl.
1991
Sinead O’Connor announced that she wouldn’t accept any Grammy Awards or attend the ceremony because the show reflects “false and destructive materialistic values.”
1992
Michael Jackson holds a press conference in New York City to announce his upcoming world tour will be sponsored by Pepsi. Proceeds from the journey will go to his Heal The World foundation, dedicated to helping children. The Pepsi Association lead to Jackson’s drug addition and Jackson and children were a bad mix, blogger Nina notes.
1993
Gloria Estefan received the 1,974th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Harry Connick Jr. entered a plea bargain with New York authorities stemming from his arrest in December for having a gun in his carry-on luggage at New York’s Kennedy Airport. Under the deal, Connick did not have to plead guilty to the crime, avoided going to jail and had to make public service announcements about carrying guns.
The Ramones played their last UK gig together. It took place at the Brixton Academy.
B.B. King starred on an episode of Touched By An Angel on CBS-TV.
“One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men reached a 10th week at #1. Counting her hit “Fantasy”, Mariah Carey had spent 18 of the last 19 weeks at #1. “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” by Whitney Houston was #2 with the impressive “Missing” from Everything But the Girl #3. Newcomer Joan Osbourne was behind that trio with “One Of Us”. The rest of the Top 10: “Hey Lover” from LL Cool J, the Goo Goo Dolls placed “Name” at #6, Deep Blue Something remained in the #7 spot with “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, LaBouche bounced up with “Be My Lover”, Monica’s double-sided “Before You Walk Out of My Life”/”Like This And Like That” at #9 and the Tony Rich Project moved into the Top 10 with “Nobody Knows”.
1998
Pearl Jam released the album Yield.
1999
Ice-T spoke to the students of the University of Toledo about a life of crime not being all it is cracked up to be.
2002
Britney Spears performed the national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVI. A Pepsi commercial featuring Britney Spears was premiered during the game. Paul McCartney & Barry Manilow starred in a pre-game concert
2003 Recording Artist: Daughter Lisa Marie Presley
2003
The exclusive documentary ‘Living With Michael Jackson was shown on UK television. Reporter Martin Bashir had spent eight months with the star, the shows editor said, ‘viewers will not believe what they’re seeing.’
Legendary music producer Phil Spector was arrested for investigation of murder after police found a woman shot to death at his Los Angeles mansion. The 62 year old Spector, whose Wall Of Sound technique transformed 1960s Pop music, was freed after posting $1 million bond. The body of 40-year-old Lana Clarkson, a TV and film actress, was found in a pool of blood with a gunshot to the face at the marble entrance to Spector’s home.
2004
The Pixies announced they were reforming for a full tour. The group had split in 1993.
58 year old saxophonist, Cornelius Bumpus, formerly of the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan, suffered a fatal heart attack while on a commercial flight from New York.
2008
UK singer Adele went to No.1 on the UK album chart with her debut album ’19’. As of December 2011, worldwide sales for the album stood at over 6.5 million copies.
AC/DC singer Brian Johnson, joined a growing group of critics of Bob Geldof and U2 singer Bono over their very public charity work, saying they should stop lecturing audiences about charity work and instead do their good deeds in private. Johnson said “When I was a working man I didn’t want to go to a concert for some bastard to talk down to me that I should be thinking of some kid in Africa. I’m sorry mate, do it yourself, spend some of your own money and get it done. It just makes me angry.”
Former teen star Leif Garrett, who shot to fame at the age of 15 with his 1970s single “I Was Made For Dancin'”, was arrested at an L.A. train station on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. The 48-year-old later pleaded no contest and entered a drug rehab program.
Mackenzie Phillips, daughter of Mamas And Papas‘ founder John Phillips, told TV host Oprah Winfrey that her decade-long sexual affair with her father was not consensual, even though she eventually agreed to having sex with her father.
2014
Bruce Springsteen was at No.1 on the US chart with his eighteenth studio album High Hopes. His eleventh No.1 album in the US, placed him third all-time for most No. 1 albums only behind The The Beatles and Jay-Z.
2016
Maurice White, vocalist and co-founder of Earth, Wind And Fire died in his sleep at the age of 74. He helped the band place sixteen songs on Billboard’s Top 40 chart between 1974 and 1983. Health problems forced him to retire from touring in 1994, but he remained active on the business side of the group.
Super Bowl performance by Shakira and Jennifer Lopez stirs up Twitter debate in Vancouver over “strip-a-thon” | Georgia Straight Vancouver’s News & Entertainment Weekly
On her 43rd birthday, the pride of Colombia, Shakira, showed a U.S. TV audience of nearly 100 million that her hips don’t lie.
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