When it comes to favorite sons of Lubbock, TX, the list begins with rock star Buddy Holly. Before his rock & roll dreams came true, he grew up in the panhandle town and there are plenty of tributes to the musician along the streets of his hometown, including a historical marker:
The marker reads:
"Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley was born in Lubbock on September 7,
1936, to Ella Pauline (Drake) and Lawrence Odell "L.O." Holley. The
youngest of four children, Buddy grew up in a musical household, with
his mother and siblings singing and playing instruments. Buddy showed
musical aptitude, taking violin, piano and steel guitar lessons. He took
up the acoustic guitar after his brother, Travis, bought a $15 Harmony
model.
Buddy, with other young Lubbock "pickers," formed several country
groups. In 1955, he saw Elvis Presley in concert and was very impressed
by Presley's rhythm and performance style. Buddy and his friends were
opening for big country acts at the Fair Park Coliseum when Eddie
Crandall, an agent and manager, saw a performance and helped Buddy
broker a Decca recording contract. Buddy's last name was misspelled on
the contract: "Holley" became "Holly." Buddy's relationship with Decca
was short-lived as his early recording sessions failed to produce a hit.
In 1957, Buddy and his new band, The Crickets, began working with
producer Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico. On February 15, 1957, they
recorded "That'll Be The Day," the first of several hits on the
Brunswick label. Their success led the band to tour widely in the United
States and Canada.
In 1958, Buddy Holly and The Crickets toured England. The group had a
profound influence on Rock and Roll in England - from their sound to
Buddy's distinct look. On February 3, 1959, during a three-week tour of
the Midwestern United States, Buddy's chartered plane crashed after
takeoff due to bad weather. There were no survivors. Buddy Holly was 22
years old."
The marker stands in front of the Buddy Holly Center, a museum that chronicles Holly's career as well as other cultural topics of the area. And outside stands a pair of black glasses, a part of Holly's look throughout his short career. Visitors are encouraged to take pictures with rock star's spectacles.
Across the street is a statue honoring the rock & roll sensation. He's playing his guitar surrounded by the West Texas Hall of Fame honoring other influential artists of the area. His fellow Texas musicians are forever serenaded by Charles Hardin Holley, a.k.a. Buddy Holly, as he welcomes visitors to his humble hometown.
