The Day the Music Died

On February 3, 1959, American rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "The Big Bopper" J. P. Richardson were all killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, together with pilot Roger Peterson. The event later became known as "The Day the Music Died" after singer-songwriter Don McLean referred to it as such in his 1971 song "American Pie". Buddy Holly and his touring  band, were playing the "Winter Dance Party" touring across the Midwest. Rising artists Valens, Richardson, and vocal group Dion and the Belmont’s had joined the tour as well. The long journeys between venues on board the cold, uncomfortable tour buses adversely affected the performers, and made the tour miserable for all involved. After performing in Clear Lake , Holly chartered a plane to reach their next venue in Moorhead, Minnesota. J.P  Richardson, suffering from flu, swapped places with Waylon Jennings a member of Holly’s touring  band, taking his seat on the plane, while Tommy Allsup another member of Holly’s touring band  lost his seat to Valens on a coin toss. Soon after takeoff, in poor, wintry weather conditions, the pilot lost control of the light aircraft,  and it  crashed into a cornfield, killing all four on board. These 3 stars careers  were all cut short and who know where it would have taken them.