Born (left to right in the photo)

J.P “The Big Bopper” Richardson October 24, 1930,

Buddy Holly September 7, 1936,

Richie Valens May 13, 1941

Died February 3, 1959

High of Their Lives: The three singer/songwriters listed  here were Rock n’Roll heroes that would inspire generations simply by being white(or white-ish, Valens) and singing music influenced by black people but mostly sucked dry of all the sexual innuendo that such music had heretofore included. That all said they’re responsible for some of the best songs ever. They were the heirs to the explosion of white cultural theft begun by Elvis Presley and they wielded that power with purpose. They toured the nation playing to screaming teenagers. They recorded some of the most beloved songs of their era. In the process they became legends and the subjects of two movies(the Buddy Holly focused The Buddy Holly Story and the Valens focused La Bamba, sorry Big Bopper). Clearly they were very important people.

Low of Their Lives: Of course, then they got on that dumb single engine plane and it literally all came crashing down. We would never again hear the Spanglish song stylings of Richie Valens, we would never again marvel at the classic fat-guy voice of the Big Bopper, and we would have to wait decades for Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo to excise the aesthetic of Buddy Holly and participate in a repeated public molestation of the character he once cut.

They call it “The Day The Music Died” but of course music as it were stuck around for a while afterwards. In fact that music did not die with these three is probably their greatest failure. Their death and music’s continued existence ensured that “American Pie” Don McLean’s insufferable ‘tribute’ to these guys be birthed. The result is a totally inappropriately rowdy and inescapable sing along.

Who Sees Him As a Hero: Anyone wearing thick framed glasses as a fashion statement, Arthur Fonzarelli, and rebellious (but not too rebellious) white kids everywhere.

Popularity: 1% [?]