Not Fade Away: The Life and Music of Buddy Holly

Description

Buddy Holly was killed at 22 when the plane he was travelling in crashed on 3 February 1959. Although this was less than two years after Holly's first hit record, Don McLean described this as 'the day the music died.' But Sonny Curtis, Holly's friend and musical colleague, told us that the music didn't die, because 'Buddy Holly lives every time you play rock'n'roll.' Fifty years after Holly's death his lasting influence on pop is clear; a musical based on his life seems set to run for longer than Holly was alive. The Beatles chose That'll Be the Day by Buddy's group The Crickets as their first attempt at recording, as well taking inspiration for their name. Clearly, the music didn't die! John Gribbin, an ardent fan since he was 12 presents this labour of love written in the spirit of Sonny Curtis' lyric, as a celebration of Holly's all too brief life, and as an introduction, for all those not around in 1959, to the man and his astonishing musical legacy. It also includes - uniquely - a full and detailed account of every Holly recording session, which any Buddy fan will devour.

John Gribbin trained as an astrophysicist at Cambridge before becoming a full-time science writer and is the 'master of popular science writing' according to the Sunday Times. He has worked for Nature and the New Scientist and has contributed to the Times and the Guardian. His numerous books include In Search of Schrodingers's Cat and The Universe: A Biography. Not Fade Away is his first non-science title, to which he brings the same scrupulous attention to detail and rigorous regard for facts that characterises his other work.

'If you want an introduction to the man and his music, you should read this charming and enthusiastic volume by John Gribbin.' -- Daily Express 'Buddy Holly and The Crickets had an electrifying effect on us as young lads in Liverpool ... things would definitely not have been the same without his huge talent. Love ya' Buddy!' -- Paul McCartney 'Buddy Holly and The Crickets had an electrifying effect on us as young lads in Liverpool. We were inspired to learn guitar by seeing him on television and listening to his records. 'That'll Be The Day' blew our minds and Lord knows how long we took trying to learn the opening riff. His guitar and vocal style was massively influential on us as writers and players and things would definitely not have been the same without his huge talent. Love ya' Buddy! P.S. The name of his band, The Crickets, also influenced our choice of band name so those boys have a lot to answer for!' -- Paul McCartney 'This new book provides the excuse to keep Holly's music-making memory and influences alive.' -- Screentrade Magazine