Bye, Bye Miss American Pie

February 2, 1959, was the end of an era; a tragic night that saw three of the most promising musicians American popular music had ever known dead in a plane crash in a remote field near Clear Lake, Iowa. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper and the man who piloted their small aircraft all died that cold night. It was a blow that shocked a generation of music lovers, who were still sheltered from the turbulence that the 1960s would bring. Valens and the Big Bopper were great talents, to be sure, but Buddy Holly's loss was and still is particularly painful for many rock enthusiasts. Holly's music was the first that John Lennon tried to emulate and the bespectacled one was also idolized by Keith Richards. His influence is still widely heard in modern music, inspiring everyone from The Raveonettes to Weezer to REM. Obviously, the potential of any one of those three men will never be known, but their groundbreaking sounds didn't really go anywhere. The Night the Music Died (which is a bit of a misnomer if you think of it in terms of influence) is a great example of that. In this revue, you'll see Holly, Valens, and the Big Bopper's final performance reenacted down to the last detail. The trio hits the stage 2:30 p.m. Wednesday and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27, at the Palace Theatre in Grapevine, 300 South Main. Tickets are $27, or $12.50 for children under 13. Visit texasfamilymusicals.com.
Wed., May 26, 2:30 p.m.; Thu., May 27, 2:30 & 7:30 p.m., 2010