The Day...

Crying, Waiting, Hoping: The Story of Buddy Holly's Last Tour

Steve Harley tells the story of the 'Winter Dance Party', an ill-advised bus tour of the Midwest, which ended tragically with the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper.
The sound of Buddy Holly And The Crickets prefigured the coming wave of rock 'n' rollers in the Sixties, influencing musicians like The Hollies and The Beatles. In the aftermath of his death, Holly's legend has grown in books, on stage, and on screen.
This programme looks at the personal and business circumstances which led Buddy Holly to embark on this relatively second-division tour, and the seemingly unrelated incidents that conspired to bring about his death.
It also covers the legal issues which have affected Buddy Holly's legacy and re-assesses the often-overlooked talents of Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper.
The programme features new interviews with the two surviving members of Holly`s touring band, guitarist Tommy Allsup and drummer Carl Bunch, as well as contributions from Crickets' drummer Jerry `J.I` Allison and guitarist Sonny Curtis.
There are also memories and thoughts from Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Keith Richards, Don Everly, Hank Marvin, Carl Perkins, Bobby Vee, Little Richard, Los Lobos, Tony Hicks of The Hollies, Mike Pender of the Searchers, Maria Elena Holly and Don McLean.