Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly (born Charles Hardin Holley, 1936-1959) was one of the founding pioneers of rock and roll. Born in Lubbock, Texas, he opened for Elvis Presley in 1955 and immediately pivoted from country to rock and roll. With his band the Crickets — drummer Jerry Allison and bassist Joe B. Mauldin — he established the two-guitar, bass, and drums format that became the standard for rock bands worldwide. He was among the first high-profile rock musicians to play a Fender Stratocaster, and among the first to write his own material, use overdubbing in rock recording, and add orchestral strings to a rock song. His catalog includes That'll Be the Day, Peggy Sue, Maybe Baby, Oh Boy!, Not Fade Away, Everyday, and It Doesn't Matter Anymore. The Beatles named themselves after insects in tribute to the Crickets, and Lennon attended Holly's 1958 UK tour as a teenager. Holly died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, aged 22. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.