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The Day the Music Died

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Mickey Richaud

Mickey Richaud

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Feb. 3, 1959
 
Yep - that may have been his best.
 
Four died that night...

Buddy Holly...who was really talented...great songwriting.
Ritchie Valens...a young star just getting started.
J.P. Richardson...The Big Bopper. What can you say.
Roger Peterson...the Pilot...most often forgotten.

BTW, Waylon Jennings gave up his seat on the plane to Ritchie Valens because Valens was feeling ill.
 
martx-5 said:
Roger Peterson...the Pilot...most often forgotten.
Click to expand...

Seems strange that he had his Commercial ticket with no Instrument rating. I don't think you can do that nowadays, but I guess it was allowed back then. Good thing they changed the rule!

Too late to save those four, though.
 
martx-5 said:
...

BTW, Waylon Jennings gave up his seat on the plane to Ritchie Valens because Valens was feeling ill.
Click to expand...

Correction...it was Richardson (the Big Bopper) who was ill that night and took Waylon's seat. Waylon was Buddy Holly's bass player at the time. Sorry about the initial misinformation.
 
I've heard Dion DiMucci (Dion & the Belmonts) tell this story on NPR: He was the fourth headline performer on the tour, was approached to join the flight as well; however, Dion had heard his parents argue for years over the $36 rent for their apartment and could not bring himself to pay an entire month's rent for a short plane ride. The cost of the flight would have been exactly $36
 
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