Details and Notes
Bob Miller & The Millermen
Hosted by Gary Campbell
Record Mirror
Buddy Holly, Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash near Mason City, Iowa
This was recorded on the 21st October 1957. It was his first recording with an orchestral backing and also his first in stereo. He received the song from Paul Anka on the day that it was recorded. Raining In My Heart, Moondreams and True Love Ways were recorded at the same session. It was released on the 5th January 1959 in the USA (peaked at 13 in February) but was not released in the UK until the 13th February when it went to number one.
The following week (28th October) he made his final appearance with the "original" Crickets on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.
I can't remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died
Don McLean - American Pie
This is a fake but is used to illustrate a typical tour poster
Final concert was at Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake, Iowa
www.surfballroom.com
The Crickets were Tommy Allsup (g), Waylon Jennings (b), Carl Bunch (d).
However, Bunch was in hospital suffering from frostbite at the time.
Born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas on September 6th 1936. Holly
was actually a mistake that was made on his first recording contract
www.buddyholly.com
Crash site monument
His first single was Come On, Let's Go which was a covered by Tommy Steel in 1958 (number 10). His follow up was a double A side - Donna & La Bamba . It only got to 29 in the UK charts in March 1959. Donna was covered by Marty Wilde (number 3)
Adopted the "Big Bopper" name when he was a DJ on KTRM, Beaumont. He released two singles Chantilly Lace and The Big Bopper's Wedding (both 1958). He also wrote Running Bear which was recorded by Johnny Preston.
March 22nd 1959
Promoter : Lew & Leslie Grade
Sheila Buxton
Desmond Lane
Fraser-Hayes Four
Dorothy Reid
Harry Hayward Orchestra
Had two number 1 singles - The Story Of My Life (January 1958) and Starry Eyed (January 1960). He died 29th October 1963
Four Jones Boys
Daley & Wayne
Betty Smith Quintet
Chas McDevitt & The Freight Train Boys
Jimmy Tarbuck (compere)
YELLS OF ECSTASY SOUNDED LIKE TORTURED CANARIES
Like a thousand tortured canaries screaming for freedom from the cage the yells went up at St George's Hall last night. But this, they told me, wasn't agony: it was ecstasy. Or was it?
For me and perhaps for two or three more in this audience aged mainly between 14 and 18 it was agonising - and perplexing and a little frightening
Peter Holdsworth - Telegraph & Argus
Mansfield - February 1959
Date on advert appears to be incorrect
Concert in London a few months later
In July 1959 the Drifters became The Shadows to avoid confusion with the American vocal group.
Russ Conway
"Cuddly" Dudley
Johnson Sisters
Colin & Christine Campbell
Bobby Dennis (compere)
Marty Wilde was a resident on Oh Boy. At the time of the concert
his single Donna was in the top 10
www.martywilde.com
Russ Conway was currently at number 1 with Side Saddle. He died
from cancer in 2000
Russ
Conway
"Cuddly" Dudley was also a regular performer on Oh Boy. More information
