The music didn’t die in 1959 when Buddy Holly, along with ‘The Big Bopper’ and Ritchie Valens, died as Don Maclean sang in the early 1970s. Rock music was only starting to get a head of steam up, with Buddy Holly leading the charge. He was spurned to do so after seeing Elvis Presley some three or four years earlier performing what was termed by the more conservatively minded 'evil' rock and roll.
After his death the multitude of rock and roll, blues and rhythm, folk and blues artists including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton to name but a few, were quick to mention him as a major influence at the start of their careers.
Buddy Holly was 'the man' who, tragically, was never able to fully enjoy this, let alone be aware of it. He wasn't the first to play rock and roll but his timing with regards to making it globally popular and influencing the face of rock music is unquestionable.
As with all forms of music, rock music is kinetic. The impact that Buddy Holly had on rock music is, to this writer, the most profound.
No comments:
Post a Comment