Larry Holley Passes Away

Larry Holley talking about his brother Buddy Holly


Larry Holley, Buddy Holly’s oldest brother and last surviving sibling passed away on Thursday at age 96.

In His Own Words

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.

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1950 Fender Pro Amp and Buddy Holly

1950 Fender Pro Amp


Fender guitar amp made famous by a pioneer of Rock ‘n’ Roll

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.

1950 Fender Pro Amp TV Front
Photo courtesy Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar

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.

Buddy Holly & The Crickets on stage
Left to Right: Niki Sullivan, Jerry Allison, Buddy Holly, Joe B. Maudlin. Photo source unknown

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. 😎

A. Byron Balogh playing Buddy Holly's amp in the Norman Petty Recording Studio, Clovis, New Mexico

Hashtags: #BuddyHolly #Clovis #FenderTweedProAmp #NormanPetty

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The Real Buddy Holly Story by Sonny Curtis

Sonny Curtis singing the Real Buddy Holly Story

Sonny Curtis

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.


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Buddy Holly History, January 23, 1986


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:

      • Chuck Berry
      • James Brown
      • Ray Charles
      • Sam Cooke
      • Fats Domino
      • The Everly Brothers
      • Buddy Holly
      • Jerry Lee Lewis
      • Little Richard
      • Elvis Presley

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RIP Jerry Naylor



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.

The Crickets: Jerry Allison, Glen D. Hardin, Jerry Naylor and Sonny Curtis
Crickets Sonny Curtis, Bobby Vee, Glen D. Hardin and Jerry Naylor
Jerry Naylor with Glen Campbell

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Buddy Holly History, December 7, 1955



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* (unissued)
  • I Guess I Was Just A Fool (unissued)
  • Don’t Come Back Knockin’ (demo)
  • Love Me (demo) 

* 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

Sonny Curtis, Buddy Holly, Don Guess. Photo courtesy of Sonny Curtis.

Hashtags: #BuddyHolly #SonnyCurtis #DonGuess  #Lubbock #WichitaFalls #NesmanStudio

That’s All Right – Elvis Presley 16-Oct-54



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.

Embed from Getty Images

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.

Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium
Photo: Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium, 1995. Wikimedia Commons

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John Fogerty Inducts Buddy Holly to Rock Hall of Fame



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:

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