Buddy Holly died on February 3, 1959. He was just 22 years old. And despite a rock and roll recording career that only lasted about two years, his impact on music is still being felt today. A major inspiration to groups like The Beatles and Nirvana, Holly was one of the first proto-rock stars of the 1950s, known for helping to cement the blueprint of a four-piece rock group.
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Famously, Holly died in a plane crash. It was an occasion Don McLean called “the day the music died,” and he sang about in his 1971 hit song “American Pie.” In that same crash, the music world lost other folks, including Latin rocker Ritchie Valens and musician and radio DJ The Big Bopper. It was an especially sad occasion.
But along with a lot of lost songs and albums, that crash helped to change the world in other ways. Let’s explore.
Maria Elena
Buddy Holly’s wife Maria Elena was just a few weeks pregnant on February 3, 1959. Normally, she traveled with her husband on his rock tours. But because of the pregnancy, she stayed home. This caused her to feel some guilt after her husband tragically died. “In a way, I blame myself,” Maria Elena said. “I was not feeling well when he left. I was two weeks pregnant and I wanted Buddy to stay with me. … If only I’d gone along, Buddy never would have gotten into that aeroplane.”
Maria Elena was said to have miscarried the baby after finding out her husband had died. But it’s how she found out that is the most remarkable detail here.
The News
Maria Elena was never told about her husband’s crash, never told he died. Instead, she heard the news via a television bulletin. Similarly, Holly’s mother heard the news on the radio. Neither received what seems like common courtesy today—a knock on the door from the police or anyone else.
In the wake of that and since Maria Elena was said to have suffered an immediate miscarriage upon hearing the news of her fallen beau, a new policy was instituted. News outlets agreed not to report on a person’s death until their family had been notified.
Conclusion
Not only is Holly’s artistry still impacting the world of music today but the tragic nature of his passing continues to influence how people share the news of celebrity deaths. It’s an important legacy and one any fan of Holly can appreciate today.
Photo by Steve Oroz/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Image
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