Vintage guitars, tube amps, analog effects & gear! Plus all things early Rock 'n' Roll.
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Larry Holley, Buddy Holly’s oldest brother and last surviving sibling passed away on Thursday at age 96.
In this Voices of History video, Larry Holley speaks from his home in Lubbock, Texas, about his brother Buddy Holly.
Rest In Peace, Larry Holley. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Holley Family.
A letter from The Beatles to their guitar heroes, The Crickets, and the story how they were inspired to change their group’s name.. Read the story…
#TheBeatles #TheCrickets #BuddyHolly
Posted on Facebook by Keith Allison. He’s the one in the front row, left.
Stumbled onto this vintage listing at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar, a 1950 Fender Pro Amp similar to the amp used by Buddy Holly to record his hits such as That’ll Be The Day and Peggy Sue.
For more excellent photos and full detail, here is the link to the listing:
1950 Fender Pro TV Front Tweed Vintage Tube Guitar Amplifier
After failing to chart a hit with the recordings he made with Decca Records in 1956, Buddy Holly and his band The Crickets drove 90 miles east of their home town Lubbock, Texas to record at the Norman Petty Studios in Clovis, New Mexico. Working with Norman Petty as his producer and engineer, Holly had the freedom to play and record his songs the way he intended them to sound, which ultimately had a lasting impact on rock ‘n’ roll.
Ironically, the same Fender amp that Holly used in Clovis to record his hits remains there to this day. The grill cloth is a different color, but here’s a photo of Buddy Holly’s amp, currently on display at Norman Petty Recording Studios in Clovis, humbly being played by yours truly while visiting in 2016. 😎
Hashtags: #BuddyHolly #Clovis #FenderTweedProAmp #NormanPetty
Here is Sonny Curtis playing his guitar and singing a special song he wrote as a tribute to his childhood friend, Buddy Holly, called The Real Buddy Holly Story.
He wrote the early rocker Rockin’ Around with Ollie Vee and later wrote the famous theme for The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He basically grew up with Buddy Holly and the Crickets. He travelled to Nashville in 1956 and played lead guitar on Buddy’s Decca recordings made at Owen Bradley’s Barn (aka the Quonset Hut). Later, Sonny became a permanent member of The Crickets after Buddy’s passing.
Here he is playing and singing a song he penned called The Real Buddy Holly Story.
On this day, January 23 1986, Buddy Holly was inducted into the very first class of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.
Included in the very first inaugural class of inductees:
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Jerry Naylor, 1950’s and 60’s rocker-turned-country, and one time member of The Crickets, passed away quietly at his home in McMinnville, Oregon on December 5, 2019. He was 80 years old.
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On this day December 7, 1955, Buddy Holly travelled from Lubbock to Wichita Falls, Texas with friends Sonny Curtis, Don Guess, and Jerry Allison to record a demo record at Nesman Recording Studio. The songs recorded that day were:
* Moonlight Baby was an alternate title for Baby Won’t You Come Out Tonight.
Buddy sang and played guitar. Others participating were Sonny Curtis (guitar), Don Guess (bass), and Jerry Allison (drums)
Sonny Curtis, Buddy Holly, Don Guess. Photo courtesy of Sonny Curtis.
Hashtags: #BuddyHolly #SonnyCurtis #DonGuess #Lubbock #WichitaFalls #NesmanStudio
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October 16, 1954
Shreveport, Louisiana
Just a few weeks after recording and his first record with Sam Phillips at the Sun Records studio, Elvis Presley with Scotty Moore and Bill Black, appeared live on the Louisiana Hayride which was broadcast on KWKH.
Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore and Bill Black, October 1954. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
That’s All Right (Live from the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana) October 16, 1954.
The Hayride was performed live in front of an audience at the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium.
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Watch John Fogerty induct Buddy Holly into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
In the inaugural year of the Rock Hall of Fame, here is the Class of 1986. You simply can’t beat this list: