BUDDY HOLLY - AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT SIGNED - HFSID 158172

BUDDY HOLLY
Notebook page with his handwritten answers to a high school English quiz, signed by him at the top with the original spelling of his name ("Holley")
Autograph Manuscript signed: "Buddy Holley" at upper margin, 1 page, 8x10½ lined sheet. Holly's answers to a ten-question test, likely for an English class as the answers refer to types of sentences. He answered seven questions correctly. Holly, who was graduated from Lubbock High School in 1955, was recording for Decca Records within a year. Born on September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, Texas as Charles Hardin Holley, the future recording star became known as "Buddy". His first record contract dropped the "e" in Holley, and he adopted the spelling. Before going to Lubbock High School, Holly had attended Lubbock's J.T. Hutchinson Junior High, where he met Bob Montgomery. The duo quickly became known for their musical talent and lack of stage fright. Buddy, Bob and a friend, Jerry Allison, began performing at school functions, and by September of 1953, Buddy had a regular show on Lubbock radio station KDAV. It was in Allison's home that "The Crickets" were born (with Niki Sullivan on rhythm guitar, Allison on drums and Joe B. Mauldin on bass). The group played anywhere they were booked: the Hi-D-Ho (a local hangout), high school talent shows, roller rinks, car lots and even the grand opening of a supermarket. In just a few short years, "Holly & The Crickets" hit the airwaves with significant impact. Hits including "That'll Be The Day", "Everyday", "Peggy-Sue", "Maybe Baby" and "Oh Boy!" climbed the charts. In January 1959, Holly was booked on the Winter Dance Party tour that would cover most of the Midwest. The tour included such headliners as Ritchie Valens, Dion and the Belmonts, Waylon Jennings and The Big Bopper. As the bus pulled into Clear Lake, Iowa for their February 2nd performance, Holly made arrangements to charter a plane to fly him and two of his band members to the next gig in Fargo, North Dakota. J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) and Ritchie Valens had bad colds and Richardson wanted to fly to Fargo so that he would have time to see a doctor. He asked Waylon Jennings if he would give up his seat and Jennings agreed. Valens asked Tommy Allsup for his seat, and the two decided to flip a coin to see who would take the plane (Valens won the toss). The plane took off from the airport at around 1:00 a.m. on February 3, 1959. The plane made it into the dark snowy night, but plummeted to the ground about five miles from the airport. There were no survivors. The shock felt throughout the music world at this tragic loss is echoed in Don McLean's song "American Pie" as "the day the music died". "X" markings and the number "3" in unknown hand. ½-inch diameter stain at lower blank margin. 2 file holes at left blank margin, nicked at right sides. Overall, fine condition.