Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens: 9 things to know about the Day the Music Died - Houston Chronicle
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Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens: 9 things to know about the Day the Music Died
By Kyrie O'Connor , Houston Chronicle
Updated 11:51 am, Wednesday, February 3, 2016
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Fateful day
On Feb. 3, 1959, Buddy Holly of Lubbock, J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson of Beaumont and Ritchie Valens of California, along with their pilot, were killed in the crash of a small charter plane in Clear Lake, Iowa.
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Fateful day
On Feb. 3, 1959, Buddy Holly of Lubbock, J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson of Beaumont and Ritchie Valens of California, along with their pilot, were killed in the crash of a small charter plane in Clear ... more
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The plane
The chartered plane was a Beechcraft Bonanza like the one pictured above. It crashed in bad weather six miles from the airport.
The plane
The chartered plane was a Beechcraft Bonanza like the one pictured above. It crashed in bad weather six miles from the airport.
Photo: PRN
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Stardom 
Holly was a major rockabilly star and had recently broken away from his band The Crickets. He was 23.
Stardom 
Holly was a major rockabilly star and had recently broken away from his band The Crickets. He was 23.
Photo: AP
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Rising star
Valens, born Richard Valenzuela, was famous for his single "La Bamba" and was the first Chicano rock star. He won his seat on the plane in a coin toss with a member of Holly's band. He was only 17.
Rising star
Valens, born Richard Valenzuela, was famous for his single "La Bamba" and was the first Chicano rock star. He won his seat on the plane in a coin toss with a member of Holly's band. He was only 17.
Photo: AP
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Old man
Richardson, whose hit was "Chantilly Lace," was the old man of the group at 28, married and a father and a Beaumont deejay.
Old man
Richardson, whose hit was "Chantilly Lace," was the old man of the group at 28, married and a father and a Beaumont deejay.
Photo: handout
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Lucky break
Future country great Waylon Jennings, part of Holly's backup band, swapped his seat on the plane with Richardson because the Bopper had the flu. Richardson told him he hoped the tour bus would freeze ... more
Photo: Blair Pittman, Houston Chronicle
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Also lucky
Dion DeMucci of Dion and the Belmonts ("Runaround Sue," "The Wanderer") thought the $36 cost of the charter plane was too high and opted to take the bus.
Also lucky
Dion DeMucci of Dion and the Belmonts ("Runaround Sue," "The Wanderer") thought the $36 cost of the charter plane was too high and opted to take the bus.
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Memorialized
Don McLean coined the term "The Day the Music Died" to mark the date of the plane crash in his 1972 mega-hit song "American Pie."
Memorialized
Don McLean coined the term "The Day the Music Died" to mark the date of the plane crash in his 1972 mega-hit song "American Pie."
Photo: AP
The three dead stars are memorialized in Lubbock and in Clear Lake.
Photo: BUDDY HOLLY CENTER
Image 10 of 38 | Celebrities who have died in plane crashes
Click through the images to see other celebrities who have died in aviation accidents.
Click through the images to see other celebrities who have died in aviation accidents.
Image 11 of 38 | Amelia Earhart, 1932
In 1932 Aviator Amelia Earhart disappeared near central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in a Lockheed Model 10 Electra.
In 1932 Aviator Amelia Earhart disappeared near central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island during an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in a Lockheed Model 10 Electra.
Photo: Pictures Inc., File
Image 12 of 38 | Joseph Kennedy Jr., 1944
Joseph Kennedy Jr., left, (shown here with with Joseph F. Kennedy, Sr., and brother John F. Kennedy) died during a bombing mission in World War II.
Joseph Kennedy Jr., left, (shown here with with Joseph F. Kennedy, Sr., and brother John F. Kennedy) died during a bombing mission in World War II.
Photo: Getty Images
Image 13 of 38 | Glenn Miller, 1944
Bandleader Glenn Miller was traveling to France to entertain troops during World War II, but his plane was lost over the English Channel.
Bandleader Glenn Miller was traveling to France to entertain troops during World War II, but his plane was lost over the English Channel.
Photo: Keystone, Getty Images
Image 14 of 38 | Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish, 1949
Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish, sister of President John F. Kennedy, was killed in a plane crash while flying from Paris to the French Riviera for a vacation.
Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish, sister of President John F. Kennedy, was killed in a plane crash while flying from Paris to the French Riviera for a vacation.
Photo: Keystone, Getty Images
Image 15 of 38 | Ritchie Valens, 1959
17-year-old singer Ritchie Valens was killed during a plane crash in a snow storm near Fargo, North Dakota along with fellow musicians Buddy Holly and Jiles Perry Richardson Jr., also known as The Big Bopper.
17-year-old singer Ritchie Valens was killed during a plane crash in a snow storm near Fargo, North Dakota along with fellow musicians Buddy Holly and Jiles Perry Richardson Jr., also known as The Big Bopper.
Photo: AP
Image 16 of 38 | Buddy Holly, 1959
Musician Buddy Holly was killed during a plane crash in a  snow storm near Fargo, North Dakota along with fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and Jiles Perry Richardson Jr., also known as The Big Bopper.
Musician Buddy Holly was killed during a plane crash in a  snow storm near Fargo, North Dakota along with fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and Jiles Perry Richardson Jr., also known as The Big Bopper.
Photo: AP2009
Image 17 of 38 | The Big Bopper, 1959
Jiles Perry Richardson Jr., also known as The Big Bopper was killed during a plane crash in a  snow storm near Fargo, North Dakota along with fellow musicians Buddy  Holly and Ritchie Valens.
Jiles Perry Richardson Jr., also known as The Big Bopper was killed during a plane crash in a  snow storm near Fargo, North Dakota along with fellow musicians Buddy  Holly and Ritchie Valens.
Image 18 of 38 | Patsy Cline, 1963
After performing a series of shows to benefit the family of a disc jockey who died in an automobile crash, Country singer Patsy Cline died in a plane crash while on a flight in ppor weather piloted by her manager, Randy Hughes, who was not an instrument-rated pilot.
After performing a series of shows to benefit the family of a disc jockey who died in an automobile crash, Country singer Patsy Cline died in a plane crash while on a flight in ppor weather piloted by her ... more
Photo: GAB Archive, Redferns
Image 19 of 38 | Otis Redding, 1967
Singer Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash in Wisconsin while traveling between shows.
Singer Otis Redding was killed in a plane crash in Wisconsin while traveling between shows.
Photo: Michael Ochs Archives, Getty
Image 20 of 38 | Rocky Marciano, 1969
Heavyweight boxing champ Rocky Marciano died in a small private plane crash in poor weather. The NTSB attributed pilot error as the cause of the crash, saying "The pilot attempted an operation exceeding his experience and ability level, continued visual flight rules under adverse weather conditions and experienced spatial disorientation in the last moments of the flight." less
Heavyweight boxing champ Rocky Marciano died in a small private plane crash in poor weather. The NTSB attributed pilot error as the cause of the crash, saying "The pilot attempted an operation exceeding his ... more
Photo: Harry Harris, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Image 21 of 38 | Audie Murphy, 1971
Actor and war war hero Audie Murphy, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, died in a private plane crash in Virginia in poor weather.
Actor and war war hero Audie Murphy, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, died in a private plane crash in Virginia in poor weather.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Image 22 of 38 | Roberto Clemente, 1972
Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash after takeoff in Puerto Rico on an aid flight en route to Nicaragua to help earthquake survivors.
Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash after takeoff in Puerto Rico on an aid flight en route to Nicaragua to help earthquake survivors.
Photo: Associated Press File Photo
Image 23 of 38 | Jim Croce, 1973
Musician Jim Croce died in a plane crash in Natchitoches, Texas after the plane he was flying in clipped a tree after takeoff.
Musician Jim Croce died in a plane crash in Natchitoches, Texas after the plane he was flying in clipped a tree after takeoff.
Photo: Tom G. O'Neal, TGO Photo
Image 24 of 38 | Francis Gary Powers, 1977
Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 pilot who had been shot down over Soviet airspace in 1960, died in a helicopter crash while covering wildfires in Santa Barbara, California for a television station.
Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 pilot who had been shot down over Soviet airspace in 1960, died in a helicopter crash while covering wildfires in Santa Barbara, California for a television station.
Image 25 of 38 | Ronnie Van Zant, 1977
Ronnie Van Zant, of Lynyrd Skynrd, died in a plane crash near Gillsburg, Mississippi while traveling between shows.
Ronnie Van Zant, of Lynyrd Skynrd, died in a plane crash near Gillsburg, Mississippi while traveling between shows.
Photo: Hulton Archive
Image 26 of 38 | Thurman Munson, 1979
New York Yankee Thurman Munson, a pilot for about a year, was in his personal plane with a friend and flight instructor practicing touch-and-go landings, when he clipped a tree short of the runway and crash.
New York Yankee Thurman Munson, a pilot for about a year, was in his personal plane with a friend and flight instructor practicing touch-and-go landings, when he clipped a tree short of the runway and crash.
Photo: Focus On Sport, Getty Images
Image 27 of 38 | Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1990
Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash shortly after takeoff while leaving a gig in Wisconsin en route to Chicago.
Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash shortly after takeoff while leaving a gig in Wisconsin en route to Chicago.
Photo: DON HUNSTEIN
Image 28 of 38 | Bill Graham, 1991
Well-known concert promoter Bill Graham died in a helicopter crash near Vallejo, California while returning home from a Huey Lewis and the News concert.
Well-known concert promoter Bill Graham died in a helicopter crash near Vallejo, California while returning home from a Huey Lewis and the News concert.
Photo: Steve Ringman, The Chronicle
Image 29 of 38 | Ron Brown, 1996
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown was killed along with 34 others in a plane crash in Croatia.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown was killed along with 34 others in a plane crash in Croatia.
Photo: J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE, AP
Image 30 of 38 | John Denver, 1997
John Denver died in a crash into the Pacific Ocean while piloting a small experimental aircraft near Pacific Grove, California.
John Denver died in a crash into the Pacific Ocean while piloting a small experimental aircraft near Pacific Grove, California.
Image 31 of 38 | John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, 1999
John F. Kennedy, Jr. and wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy died in a plane crash off of Martha's Vineyard as Kennedy was piloting a Piper Saratoga II HP en route to a family wedding. The NTSB attributed pilot-error as the cause of the crash.