Every year, February 3rd is acknowledged as “The Day the Music Died.” But why is that?
Musician Don McLean sang about it in “American Pie.” and it’s referenced in all sorts of media, whether it’s directly related to it or not.
Turning the clocks back 67 years ago to 1959 when American rock musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and JP Richardson or “The Big Bopper” were in the middle of the Winter Dance Party tour with their bands that had just finished their stop in Clear Lake Iowa. Buddy Holly was frustrated with the condition of their tour bus at the time, which affected the performers with cases of the flu and even frostbite after the busses heating system broke down in -40 degrees Celsius weather. Holly opted to charter a plane, A V tailed Beechcraft Bonanza. later Holly, Valens and Richardson boarded the plane with their pilot Roger Peterson, a young pilot.
That night there was a light snowstorm but the plane took off normally carrying all four on board, but the flight only lasted a short 10km from the airport before crashing into a field, killing all four on board instantly. The wreckage wasn’t found until the following morning. The Civil Aeronautics Board investigated the crash and concluded the accident was caused due to pilot error as Peterson lacked the skills required to fly at night in those conditions.
Thus every February third is observed in honour of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and JP Richardson who all lost their lives on that tragic night
