The Day the Music Died - 50 years ago

I missed this event last week. February 3 marked the 50th anniversary of the day that Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. The day was later called The Day the Music Died, and of course was immortalized by Don McLean in his 1971 song "American Pie."

As a bit of trivia, Don McLean was a paperboy when Holly died. He learned about the plane crash when he cut into his stack of papers and saw the lead story. And contrary to rumors, the plane that crashed was not named the "American Pie" - Dwyer's Flying Service did not name their planes. McLean made up the name.

Here's the McClean song courtesy of Grooveshark