The endearing title of Spencer Leigh’s book, ‘Buddy Holly: Learning The Game’, epitomises what to expect upon reading this revealing account of the shortened life of Buddy Holly. At the same time it also draws the reader in to discover wonderful insights of the lives of his friends, Dion, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. Buddy Holly’s short life totalled just 1,169 weeks, but the music he created whilst alive is still enjoyed today and has influenced so many modern day musicians and changed popular music forever. He is hailed as a visionary who left a tremendous body of work in the 18 months of his song writing career. So many musicians over the years have been influenced by his music and Buddy’s legacy lives on. I was just 10 years old ‘The day the music died’ as Don McLean sang in his hit song ‘American Pie’ documenting the numerous references to post-World War II American events but I remember the shockwaves which jolted the older generation at the time. As I read Spencer Leigh’s book I was reminded of Buddy’s influences on the pop stars I was enthralled by such as the Rolling Stones whose version of ‘Not Fade Away’ sent shivers down my spine when they first erupted onto the TV screen in 1964. Little did I know at the time it was a Buddy Holly creation. Likewise, I also wasn’t aware that another of my favourite groups during my teenage years, The Hollies had given themselves that name as a homage to their hero, Buddy Holly.
Spencer Leigh’s impeccable research takes us to the dust-bowl Bible Belt states of Texas, to Lubbock, the remote, isolated town in the panhandle where Buddy was born; a dry state where alcohol could only be found in the Strip, a whole line of liquor stores out in the cotton fields. Lubbock was famous for being ‘A complete dump, a dry town in a dry county’ and Spencer Leigh’s interviews with people who either lived there or who have been there describe the town so vividly, I could envisage the tumbleweeds rolling in the wind and taste the dust in my mouth. Musicians, such as Buddy would play in coffee houses or in bootlegging joints. Coming from a fundamentalist Baptist church background Buddy would have probably honed his singing skills in church at an early age. Members of the Baptist church would tithe their earnings, giving 10% to the church. Buddy, The Crickets and their manager Norman Petty would have tithed their earnings as a matter of course. I can’t imagine pop stars today giving 10% of their earnings to the church, it’s unthinkable!
After buying his first guitar from a pawn shop at the age of 12 and his brother teaching him to play, Buddy was hooked. His love of Hank Williams led to the stretched syllable on many of his songs, imitating his hero and there are home recordings of him singing at the age of 13. Buddy’s forays into music were much influenced by the county music which was popular at the time and although music stations only usually played country music they also featured rockabilly from Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and later Buddy Holly and The Crickets. Buddy was a self-taught guitarist and after playing with an acoustic Les Paul guitar before gaining popularity, he traded it for a Fender Stratocaster and life would never be the same again.
Buddy had seen Elvis Presley play at events in Lubbock and in 1955 he was invited to play on the same bill. Meeting Elvis was what really inspired Buddy to play professionally and Buddy’s music became more like Elvis’s from that day on. Buddy was at this time great friends with Elvis and drove him around Lubbock during each of his visits. Buddy also crossed paths with Roy Orbison who lived about 100 miles away in Odessa, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and he opened for Bill Haley and his Comets with some new rock and roll numbers during a gig in the same year. After receiving a record contract from Decca in 1956 which misspelt his name as Holly instead of the correct Holley, Buddy signed it without alteration as they wanted it back immediately so as ‘Not to hold up getting his record out’. Decca also asked for photographs and a biography which he wrote and sent off signed as Buddy Holly. So Buddy Holly the singer was born.
Singers such as Gene Vincent, Bobby Vee, Eddie Cochran, Tommy Steele, Tony Jackson (The Searchers) and Paul McCartney all attribute their musical style as being influenced by Buddy Holly; accomplished guitarists such as Brian May, Hank Marvin and Eric Clapton are also heavily influenced and all the great songwriters such as Lennon and McCartney, Bob Dylan, Don McLean and Paul Simon also acknowledge his influence. Buddy was the first singer/songwriter but no one realised it at the time. He made black horn rim glasses look cool and it’s thanks to Don Everly of The Everly Brothers for persuading him to wear the distinctive specs on stage.
Through detailed reportage from many of those who knew Buddy well, such as Waylon Jennings, his band members, The Crickets and Buddy’s wife Maria Elena, Spencer Leigh relates the story of a young man who was quite possibly the most tragic loss of talent and potential in the history of rock and roll. The sky was the limit for what he could have accomplished. He left behind a treasure trove of material and he was just 22 years old when he died. Spencer Leigh outlines the importance of Buddy through his life, his music and the legacy he left behind.
This book commemorates the anniversary of Buddy Holly’s death, as it will be 60 years to the day on 3rd February 2019 that he died. It is a very warm-hearted tribute to a young man, named Charles Hardin Holley who was mature beyond his years whose music lives on today in everyone’s hearts. As I finished the book it left me wishing that current recording artists will be just as influenced today as their heroes of yesteryear were by Buddy’s musical style and song writing.
The book is crammed with factual accolades and anecdotes which provide an invaluable treasure trove of information for fans of the musical genius that was Buddy Holly. It also incorporates US and UK discographies.
Reviewer - Anne Pritchard
on - 2/2/19
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