On Feb. 3, 1959, a four-seat airplane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson) crashed into a cornfield eight miles north of Clear Lake, Iowa.
The term "rock 'n' roll" had only come into widespread use about three years before.
The seeds planted between 1958-1964, between Elvis and the Beatles, go often unheralded in rock history. Motown got its start; it was Roy Orbison's peak — same for the Beach Boys and the Four Seasons, not to mention Phil Spector, Stax and Muscle Shoals, the Shirelles, Del Shannon and James Brown.
Here are some Buddy Holly tunes for your listening enjoyment, below the jump:
