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Memorial Collection
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Buddy Holly
Memorial Collection
Decca/Geffen
B0011337-02
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In just two years – the typical time between album releases for modern-day rock bands –Buddy Holly brought a new dimension to rock 'n' roll and pointed the way to its future. More than any other first-generation rock artist, the bespectacled youngster from Lubbock, Texas, advanced the notion that any kid with talent and ambition could pick up a guitar and emulate him, thus inspiring some of the most significant bands and musicians of the '60s and '70s, including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac and The Beatles themselves. These 60 key tracks, a number of them long unavailable, others stripped down to their original forms, vividly tell the story of his brief but incandescent career arc.
Between February 25, 1957, when the 20-year-old Holly cut the electrifying, utterly unprecedented "That'll Be The Day," and February 3, 1959, when he died in a plane crash, Holly amassed a remarkable body of work characterized by envelope-pushing innovation as a singer, guitarist and recording pioneer, while capturing with plainspoken eloquence the hormonal agony and ecstasy of young love.
In Tim Riley's insightful 2006 piece enumerating Holly's profound influence on The Beatles, posted on rocksbackpages.com, he wrote: "Holly personified rock's transformative power, and his influence reached far beyond his hiccups, songwriting, virile guitar work, stiff but arresting stage presence and deceptively simple recordings. His guileless smile still contains multitudes ... Here was the easy-to-overlook kid, the Class Generic, who stole the talent show by unleashing rabid, lascivious rockabilly on his unsuspecting classmates."
Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley (the "e" in his surname disappeared in a mistyping of his name on an early contract) was born on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, near the New Mexico border. In high school, he formed the country duo Buddy & Bob with classmate Bob Montgomery (following original partner Jack Neal), and they worked up some original tunes in the "Western and Bop" modes, as they put it. Several of their demos have survived, including Montgomery's fiddle-accented, mariachi-tinged country ballad "Soft Place In My Heart," revealing Holly's roots, and the snappy, closely harmonized "Down The Line," showing where this young hepcat was heading.
In 1955, Buddy and drummer Jerry Allison started playing dates as a two-piece, a challenge that pushed Holly to hone his proto-rock chops on the Fender Stratocaster. He previewed some of the hot licks that he'd later break out on a bunch of his hits on the instrumental "Holly Hop," recorded with Allison in the Holley family garage late in 1956.
When Presley played Lubbock's Cotton Club, in early 1955 as a part of a Sun Whistle Stop Tour, Holly introduced himself, after which Buddy & Bob opened two shows for the man who would be King. Blown away, Buddy immediately started singing Elvis songs, a practice he'd continue even after becoming a star himself.
After landing a deal with Decca Records in Nashville, which had been looking for a potential rockabilly star of its own to compete with Presley, Holly went in the studio with producer Owen Bradley, who would later begin working with another promising young singer, Patsy Cline. While Bradley would make all the right moves with Cline, he failed to grasp the nature of the Texas teenager's raw talent. Most of Holly's band accompanied him to Nashville for the initial session on January 26, 1956, but Buddy only sang, didn't play guitar (session man Grady Martin did); drummer Allison wasn't involved until the subsequent date in July; and in November, Buddy's entire band was absent, replaced with Nashville session players.
When Holly returned to Lubbock the band took the 90-mile run to Clovis, New Mexico, to check out a studio owned by musician/producer Norman Petty. Holly knew about the place, because three years earlier, the family's Holley Tile Co. had tiled the walls of the building adjacent to the studio that housed Petty's publishing company; he'd soon appropriate one of its rooms, with its reverberant tiled surfaces, as an echo chamber.
The two Decca singles, the country-leaning "Blue Days, Black Nights" from the January sessions, and the mild-mannered, sax-ornamented "Modern Don Juan," cut in November, were total flops. But languishing on the shelf were several other sides that contained hints of the uncharted waters Holly would soon explore – including the blues-meets-country steamer "Midnight Shift," the pleadingly adenoidal "Love Me" and a tentative early stab at "That'll Be The Day."
After getting dropped by Decca, Holly continued laying down tracks at Petty's place in hopes of getting another deal. That desire occasioned the crucial February 25, 1957, session that yielded the tough-talking "That'll Be The Day" and the desperate ''I'm Looking For Someone To Love." Petty, now the group's manager, quickly made a deal with New York label Brunswick – a Decca subsidiary, ironically enough. Because the previous Decca contract precluded Holly from redoing any song he'd recorded while signed to the label, Bob Thiele, who did A&R for both Brunswick and sister label Coral, came up with the idea of putting out the new version under a band name. When they got the news, Holly, Allison, Mauldin and new rhythm guitarist Niki Sullivan pored over the insects section of an encyclopedia, reputedly rejecting "The Beetles" before settling on "The Crickets." Brunswick released "That'll Be The Day" in May, and Coral put out "Words Of Love," with its captivating descending harmonies, under Holly's name in June.
Having found his sweet spot, Holly camped out in Clovis, laying down tracks with Petty as fast as he could crank them out. One after another, they banged out the soon-to-be hits "Not Fade Away" (which inventively employs the Bo Diddley beat and invokes the clipped, incantatory tribal language of rock: "Love is real a-not fade away"), the celesta-accented "Everyday," "Oh, Boy!" and "Peggy Sue," along with intriguing oddities like the obsessively insistent ''I'm Gonna Love You Too" (inadvertently capturing the chirping of an actual cricket), "Listen To Me" (which, like "Words Of Love," appropriates the chord changes of Mickey & Sylvia's then-current #1 single "Love Is Strange"), "Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues" (a sort of Southwestern doo-wop hybrid, with Petty's wife Vi on piano) and Buddy's Elvisized reading of Little Richard's "Reddy Teddy." Amazingly, all these killers were cut before "That'll Be The Day" entered the charts that August. It hit #1 a month later, while going to #2 on the R&B charts, a rarity for a white artist. But not everyone was even aware of The Crickets' racial makeup – the band played Harlem's Apollo after they'd been booked under the mistaken assumption that they were black.
It was during these fruitful sessions that the hot-wired youngster came up with the bag of tricks that would provide a major part of the blueprint for rock recording – one that has been consistently employed throughout every subsequent era. In his Encyclopedia Britannica's entry on Holly, musician Marshall Crenshaw wrote: "The Crickets records feature unusual microphone placement techniques, imaginative echo chamber effects and overdubbing, a process that in the 1950s meant superimposing one recording on another ... The Crickets camped out at Petty's studio for days at a time, using it as a combination laboratory and playground. They were the first rock and rollers to approach the recording process in this manner."
The tracks featured myriad novel touches. "Words Of Love" was one of the earliest examples of overdubbing, years before the advent of multitracking. Presumably, drums, bass, Holly's rhythm guitar and vocal were recorded first, with lead guitar and backing vocals laid on top. On "Not Fade Away" and the group's spot-on cover of Presley's "Baby I Don't Care," Allison substituted a cardboard box for his drum kit, while simply hitting a cymbal on "Well... All Right." His approach to "Everyday" was even more basic – he just slapped his knees.
A passionate fan even after becoming a star himself, Holly filled out his repertoire with exhilarating takes on the hits of the day, sometimes transforming the familiar into unexpected new shapes, as he blended in arrangement elements from other hits into his versions. Buddy's take on R&B singer Chuck Willis' "It's Too Late," for example, is pushed in the direction of Elvis via Jordanaires-style backing vocals.
With The Crickets climbing the charts for Brunswick, Coral got busy, smartly going with the heart-pumping paean to young lust "Peggy Sue" as the next single issued by the label under Holly's name. It had originally been titled "Cindy Lou," but Allison had talked Holly into renaming it after his girlfriend and wife-to-be. Holly's most beloved track, "Peggy Sue" topped out at #3 in the States but hit #1 in the United Kingdom, like "That'll Be The Day" before it, as Hollymania took hold of British youth, who came to adore him as much as they did Elvis. While Buddy and The Crickets were tearing it up on their U.K. tour in March 1958, they had four cuts in the British Top 30.
After The Crickets' first single hit #1, urgent calls for more potential hits were issued from Thiele, so in September 1957, Holly and his mates hooked up with Petty, who was then on tour with his instrumental trio, at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City. There they cut the high-revving "Maybe Baby," which would be the A-side of The Crickets' follow-up single-backed with the Clovis-cut "Tell Me How," with local singing group The Picks doing their best Jordanaires impersonation-as well as the teenybopper-toned "You've Got Love" and a cool-cat cover of Shorty Long's "Rock Me My Baby."
In late October, with "That'll Be The Day," "Maybe Baby," "Peggy Sue," its B-side "Everyday" and "Words Of Love" blasting out of jukeboxes and car radios across the country, Brunswick released The "Chirping" Crickets album, while Coral issued its Siamese twin Buddy Holly in February of '58.
"Rave On," from Holly's first New York session in January 1958 (written by "Oh, Boy!" collaborators Sonny West and Bill Tilgheman), opens with the indelible, "Well-a-well-a-well-a little things you say and do," fusing his Presley fascination with the Chicago blues records he'd heard on the radio as a kid. On a subsequent New York date, he recorded a pair of newly penned Bobby Darin songs, "Early In The Morning" and "Now We're One."
The second half of '58 was marked by major changes. In August, Holly married New York native Maria Elena nee Santiago after proposing to her on their first date (a perfect instance of life imitating art), and the newlyweds moved into a Greenwich Village apartment. But Allison and Mauldin decided to stay in Lubbock, formally ending the partnership and taking The Crickets name with them, though they'd do one last string of dates together in the fall. Around the same time, they all split with Petty, suspicious of his accounting methods. Just weeks earlier, back in Clovis, the old crew had nailed it one last time with the pumping "It's So Easy." Soon afterward, Buddy cut the Bo Diddley powered "Loves Made A Fool Of You" with a stand-in rhythm section, not missing a step.
In late October, on what would be his last session, Holly recorded four songs in New York with the Dick Jacobs Orchestra, his lone experience with strings. On "Raining In My Heart," "True Love Ways" and "I Guess It Doesn't Matter Anymore," the latter written for him by Paul Anka, "he played off strings like Sam Cooke would: as an ultimatum," noted Tim Riley. "Instead of sinking down into them, he made them cower, defied them where others caved."
"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was released the next January, and Holly began a tour of the Midwest with his new sidemen, guitarist Tommy Allsup and fellow Lubbock native Waylon Jennings. That tour came to an abrupt end when, on February 3, 1959, Holly, who was just 22, perished in a plane crash, along with J. P. Richardson (known as The Big Bopper) and Ritchie Valens.
Because Holly had compulsively taped virtually every song and arrangement idea from 1955 until his death, Coral had enough material to keep putting out new music for the next seven years. The most fascinating of these recordings were the "apartment tapes," simple guitar-and-vocal takes laid down mostly in January 1959, including "Peggy Sue Got Married," "Crying, Waiting, Hoping," "Learning The Game" and "What To Do," here stripped of Petty's posthumous sweetening.
In those two years of feverish activity, Buddy Holly not only wrote a vital early chapter in the history of rock 'n' roll, he made it all seem easy, fun and perfectly natural – and that may have been his greatest gift of all. More than anyone, Holly was the father of the D.I.Y. impulse that has defined and driven rock ever since. In terms of wall-to-wall impact, this one-of-a-kind songwriter, singer, guitarist and record-maker ranks right up there with Chuck Berry as an archetypal rock 'n' roll auteur.
Bud Scoppa
July 2008
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DISC ONE
1. Down The Line - Buddy & Bob (undubbed)
(Bob Montgomery, Norman Petty, Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Wichita Falls, Texas, Mid-1955
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Bob Montgomery (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
2. Soft Place In My Heart - Buddy & Bob (undubbed)
(Bob Montgomery)
Recorded in Wichita Falls, Texas, 1954-1955
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Bob Montgomery (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (fiddle)
Don Guess (bass)
Previously Unreleased
3. You And I Are Through - Buddy & Bob
(Bob Montgomery)
Probably recorded Wichita Falls, June 7, 1955
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Bob Montgomery (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
4. Midnight Shift
(Jimmy Ainsworth-Earl Lee)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Grady Martin (rhythm guitar)
Sonny Curtis (lead guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Doug Kirkham (percussion)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
5. Love Me
(Sue Parrish-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Grady Martin (rhythm guitar)
Sonny Curtis (lead guitar)
Don Guess (bass);
Doug Kirkham (percussion)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally Decca single 29854
6. Don't Come Back Knockin'
(Sue Parrish-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Grady Martin (rhythm guitar)
Sonny Curtis (lead guitar)
Don Guess (bass);
Doug Kirkham (percussion)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
7. Blue Days, Black Nights
(Ben Hall)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Grady Martin (rhythm guitar)
Sonny Curtis (lead guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Doug Kirkham (percussion)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally Decca single 29854
8. Baby, Won't You Come Out Tonight
(Don Guess)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February-April 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MCA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
9. I'm Gonna Set My Foot Down
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February-April 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
10. Changing All Those Changes
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February-April 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MCA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
11. Rock-A-Bye Rock
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February-April 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MCA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
12. Rock Around With Ollie Vee
(Sonny Curtis)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, July 22, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
13. Girl On My Mind
(Don Guess)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, July 22, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
14. Ting-A-Ling
(Nugetre)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, July 22, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
15. Modern Don Juan
(Don Guess-Jack Neal)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, November 15, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal)
Harold Bradley (guitar)
Grady Martin (guitar}
Don Guess (bass)
Floyd Cramer (piano)
Farris Coursey (drums)
E.R. "Dutch" McMillin (alto saxophone)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally Decca single 30166
16. Holly Hop (undubbed)
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in the Holley Family Garage, late November/early December 1956
Buddy Holly (guitar)
Unknown (guitar)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
17. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man (undubbed)
(Chuck Berry)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, between December 1956 and January 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Unknown (second guitar)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MCA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
18. That'll Be The Day
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly-Jerry Allison)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February 25, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass);
Jerry Allison (drums)
Niki Sullivan, June Clark, Gary and Romano Tollet (background vocals)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55009
19. I'm Looking For Someone To Love
(Buddy Holly-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February 25, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Niki Sullivan, June Clark, Gary and Ramona Tollet (background vocals)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55009
20. Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues
(Ruth Roberts-Bill Katz-Stanley Clayton)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, April 8, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Vi Petty (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61852
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DISC TWO:
1. Words Of Love
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, April 8, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61852
2. Not Fade Away
(Charles Hardin-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 29, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
probably Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, Niki Sullivan (background vocals)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55035
3. Everyday
(Charles Hardin-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 29, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Norman Petty (celeste)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums/percussion)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61885
4. Ready Teddy
(Robert Blackwell-John Marascalco)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, between May and July 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Niki Sullivan (rhythm guitar)
Vi Petty (piano)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally released on the Coral LP 57210, Buddy Holly
5. Tell Me How
(Charles Hardin-Jerry Allison-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, between May and July 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Niki Sullivan (rhythm guitar)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally released on the Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
6. Oh Boy!
(Sunny West-Bill Tilghman-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, July 1, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed, July 12, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55035
7. Listen To Me
(Charles Hardin-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 29-July 1, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61947
8. Peggy Sue
(Jerry Allison-Norman Petty-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 29-July 1, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Niki Sullivan (guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61885
9. I'm Gonna Love You Too
(Joe Mauldin-Niki Sullivan-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 29-July 1, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61947
10. It's Too Late
(Chuck Willis)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, July 12, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
11. Maybe Baby
(Norman Petty-Charles Hardin)
Recorded at the Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September 27-28, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Niki Sullivan (guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums); The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
12. You've Got Love
(Johnny Wilson-Roy Orbison-Norman Petty)
Recorded at the Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September 29,1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Niki Sullivan (rhythm guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
13. Rock Me My Baby
(Susan Heather-Shorty Long)
Recorded at the Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September 29, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Niki Sullivan (rhythm guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed-in Clovis, New Mexico, October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
14. Look At Me
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly-Jerry Allison)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, December 19, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums-percussion)
Vi Petty (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Coral LP 57210, Buddy Holly
15. You're So Square (Baby I Don't Care)
(Jerry Lieber-Mike Stoller)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, December 19, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
CW. Kendall, Jr. (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Coral LP 57210, Buddy Holly
16. Little Baby
(Buddy Holly-Norman Petty-C.W. Kendall)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, December 19, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
CW. Kendall, Jr. (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Coral LP 5721 0, Buddy Holly
17. Rave On
(Sunny West-Bill Tilghman-Norman Petty)
Recorded in New York City, January 25, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Al Caiola (guitar)
Donald Arnone (rhythm guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Norman Petty (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty & Bob Thiele
Originally on the Coral LP 57210, Buddy Holly
18. Well ... All Right
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly-Jerry Allison-Joe B. Mauldin)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February 12, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 62051
19. Take Your Time
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, probably February 14, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Norman Petty (organ)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (cardboard box)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61985
20. Fool's Paradise
(Sonny LeGlaire-Horace Linsley-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, probably February 13, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Vi Petty (piano)
The Roses (Bob Linville, Ray Bush and David Bigham) (background vocals); piano and background vocals overdubbed, in Clovis, New Mexico, February 19, 1958
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55072
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DISC THREE
1. Think It Over
(Buddy Holly-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February 13, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Vi Petty (piano)
The Roses (Bob Linville, Ray Bush and David Bigham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, February 19, 1958)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55072
2. Heartbeat
(Bob Montgomery-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 26, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar)
George Alwood (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 62051
3. It's So Easy
(Buddy Holly-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 25, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Roses (Bob Linville, Roy Bush and David Bigham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, May 27, 1958)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55094
4. Lonesome Tears
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 25, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Roses (background vocals overdubbed May 27, 1958)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55094
5. Love's Made A Fool Of You
(Buddy Holly-Bob Montgomery)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 2, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar)
George Alwood (bass)
Bo Clarke (drums)
Unknown (handclaps overdubbed, January 7, 1964)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Coral LP 57450, Showcase
6. Wishing
(Buddy Holly-Bob Montgomery)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 2, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar);
George Alwood (bass)
Bo Clarke (drums)
The Fireballs (overdubbed 1963)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 62369
7. Early In The Morning
(Bobby Darin-Woody Harris)
Recorded in New York City, June 19, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Al Chernet, George Barnes (guitars)
Sanford Bloch (bass)
Ernest Hayes (piano)
Sam "The Man" Taylor (tenor sax)
Panama Francis, Philip Krous (drums);
The Helen Way Singers (Helen Way, Harriet Young, Maeretha Stewart, Theresa Merritt) (background vocals)
Unknown (piano, bass)
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally Coral single 62006
8. Now We're One
(Bobby Darin)
Recorded in New York City, June 19, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Al Chernet, George Barnes (guitars)
Sanford Bloch (bass)
Ernest Hayes (piano)
Sam "The Man" Taylor (tenor sax)
Panama Francis, Philip Kraus (drums)
The Helen Way Singers (Helen Way, Harriet Young, Maeretha Stewart, Theresa Merritt) (background vocals)
Unknown (piano, bass)
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally Coral single 62006
9. Reminiscing
(King Curtis)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, September 10, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass);
Jerry Allison (drums)
Curtis Ousley (a/k/a King Curtis) (tenor saxophone)
The fireballs (overdubbed 1962)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 62329
10. True Love Ways
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in New York City, October 21,1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Abraham "Boomie" Richmond (tenor sax)
Orchestra directed by Dick Jacobs
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally on the Coral LP 57326, The Buddy Holly Story
11. It Doesn't Matter Anymore
(Paul Anka)
Recorded in New York City, October 21, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Orchestra directed by Dick Jacobs
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally Coral single 62074
12. Raining In My Heart
(Boudleaux Bryant-Felice Bryant)
Recorded in New York City, October 21, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Orchestra directed by Dick Jacobs
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally Coral single 62074 (1959)
13. What To Do
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 3, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Previously unreleased in U.S.
14. Peggy Sue Got Married
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 5, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Originally on the MCA LP MCA6-80000, The Complete Buddy Holly
15. That Makes It Tough
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Mario Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 8, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Originally an the MCA LP MCA6-80000, The Complete Buddy Holly
16. Crying, Waiting, Hoping
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 14, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
17. Learning The Game
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 17, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Originally on the MCA LP MCA6-80000, The Complete Buddy Holly
18. You're The One
(Buddy Holly-Waylon Jennings-Slim Corbin)
Recorded at Radio KLLL in Lubbock, Texas, December 27, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar);
Waylon Jennings and Ray "Slim" Corbin (handclaps)
Originally the Coral LP 57450, Showcase
19. Smokey Joe's Cafe
(Jerry Leiber-Mike Stoller)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment between January 1 and 20, 1959
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
20. Dearest
(Elias McDaniel-Prentice Polk-Mickey Baker}
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment between January 1 and 20, 1959
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Originally on the MCA LP MCA6-8000, The Complete Buddy Holly
__________________________________________________
Brunswick recordings released as by The Crickets. MCA, Decca and Coral recordings released as by Buddy Holly.
Sources: Buddy Holly - His Songs And Interviews by Bill Griggs (1993, CD-ROM 2007) Remembering Buddy: A Definitive Biography by John Goldrosen and John Beecher (New York, Da Capo Press, 1996)
Brunswick and Coral tape boxes
__________________________________________________
Compilation Produced by Andy McKaie
Digitally remastered by Erick Labson, Universal Mastering - West, N. Hollywood, CA
Art Direction: Vartan
Design: Mike Fink @ilevel
Photo Coordination: Ryan Null
Photo Credits: Slipcase and booklet cover: S&G/Redferns/Retna; Slipcase back cover, digipak front and back, pgs. 2, 18: Universal Music Archives; Digipak collage: Universal Music Archives, Frank Driggs Collection, Photofest, Showtime Music Archives (Toronto); Digipak 2-panel spread, pg. 10: Copyright Lew Allen with permission of Mario Elena Holly and CMG Worldwide Inc.; Pgs. 4, 5, 6, 16: Buddy Holly Memorial Society/Universal Music Archives; Pg. 9: Photofest; Pg. 30: Showtime Music Archives (Toronto)
Production Manager: Beth Stempel
Legal Clearances: Andrew Labarrere
Product Manager: Adam Abrams
Special Thanks To: Maria Elena Holley and Jerry "J.I." Allison
__________________________________________________
Also Available by Buddy Holly:
Best Of/20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection Buddy Holly
Gold (2-CD)
Down The Line The Rarities (2-CD)
The "Chirping" Crickets
The Buddy Holly Collection (2-CD)
The Definitive Collection
The Great Buddy Holly
__________________________________________________
Get Buddy Holly ring tones for your phone! Text BUDDY to 30303 to get It's So Easy
Text BUDDY to 30303 to get Maybe Baby
Text BUDDY to 30303 to get That'll Be The Day
Not available/compatible on all carriers. Internet-enabled wireless phones are required to download purchases. UMG will not give refunds for downloads to incompatible phones or carriers. All charges are one-time fees with no subscription obligations. Charges will be billed on your wireless phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. U.S only, standard text messaging and data rates apply. For customer service, email support@getmusic.com.
© 2008 Geffen Record, B0011337-02
To download this collection via iTunes, click here:
To buy this CD set from Amazon.com, click here: Memorial Collection
_________________________________________________Buddy Holly
Memorial Collection
Decca/Geffen
B0011337-02
_____________________________________________________________
In just two years – the typical time between album releases for modern-day rock bands –Buddy Holly brought a new dimension to rock 'n' roll and pointed the way to its future. More than any other first-generation rock artist, the bespectacled youngster from Lubbock, Texas, advanced the notion that any kid with talent and ambition could pick up a guitar and emulate him, thus inspiring some of the most significant bands and musicians of the '60s and '70s, including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac and The Beatles themselves. These 60 key tracks, a number of them long unavailable, others stripped down to their original forms, vividly tell the story of his brief but incandescent career arc.
Between February 25, 1957, when the 20-year-old Holly cut the electrifying, utterly unprecedented "That'll Be The Day," and February 3, 1959, when he died in a plane crash, Holly amassed a remarkable body of work characterized by envelope-pushing innovation as a singer, guitarist and recording pioneer, while capturing with plainspoken eloquence the hormonal agony and ecstasy of young love.
In Tim Riley's insightful 2006 piece enumerating Holly's profound influence on The Beatles, posted on rocksbackpages.com, he wrote: "Holly personified rock's transformative power, and his influence reached far beyond his hiccups, songwriting, virile guitar work, stiff but arresting stage presence and deceptively simple recordings. His guileless smile still contains multitudes ... Here was the easy-to-overlook kid, the Class Generic, who stole the talent show by unleashing rabid, lascivious rockabilly on his unsuspecting classmates."
Charles Hardin "Buddy" Holley (the "e" in his surname disappeared in a mistyping of his name on an early contract) was born on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, near the New Mexico border. In high school, he formed the country duo Buddy & Bob with classmate Bob Montgomery (following original partner Jack Neal), and they worked up some original tunes in the "Western and Bop" modes, as they put it. Several of their demos have survived, including Montgomery's fiddle-accented, mariachi-tinged country ballad "Soft Place In My Heart," revealing Holly's roots, and the snappy, closely harmonized "Down The Line," showing where this young hepcat was heading.
In 1955, Buddy and drummer Jerry Allison started playing dates as a two-piece, a challenge that pushed Holly to hone his proto-rock chops on the Fender Stratocaster. He previewed some of the hot licks that he'd later break out on a bunch of his hits on the instrumental "Holly Hop," recorded with Allison in the Holley family garage late in 1956.
When Presley played Lubbock's Cotton Club, in early 1955 as a part of a Sun Whistle Stop Tour, Holly introduced himself, after which Buddy & Bob opened two shows for the man who would be King. Blown away, Buddy immediately started singing Elvis songs, a practice he'd continue even after becoming a star himself.
After landing a deal with Decca Records in Nashville, which had been looking for a potential rockabilly star of its own to compete with Presley, Holly went in the studio with producer Owen Bradley, who would later begin working with another promising young singer, Patsy Cline. While Bradley would make all the right moves with Cline, he failed to grasp the nature of the Texas teenager's raw talent. Most of Holly's band accompanied him to Nashville for the initial session on January 26, 1956, but Buddy only sang, didn't play guitar (session man Grady Martin did); drummer Allison wasn't involved until the subsequent date in July; and in November, Buddy's entire band was absent, replaced with Nashville session players.
When Holly returned to Lubbock the band took the 90-mile run to Clovis, New Mexico, to check out a studio owned by musician/producer Norman Petty. Holly knew about the place, because three years earlier, the family's Holley Tile Co. had tiled the walls of the building adjacent to the studio that housed Petty's publishing company; he'd soon appropriate one of its rooms, with its reverberant tiled surfaces, as an echo chamber.
The two Decca singles, the country-leaning "Blue Days, Black Nights" from the January sessions, and the mild-mannered, sax-ornamented "Modern Don Juan," cut in November, were total flops. But languishing on the shelf were several other sides that contained hints of the uncharted waters Holly would soon explore – including the blues-meets-country steamer "Midnight Shift," the pleadingly adenoidal "Love Me" and a tentative early stab at "That'll Be The Day."
After getting dropped by Decca, Holly continued laying down tracks at Petty's place in hopes of getting another deal. That desire occasioned the crucial February 25, 1957, session that yielded the tough-talking "That'll Be The Day" and the desperate ''I'm Looking For Someone To Love." Petty, now the group's manager, quickly made a deal with New York label Brunswick – a Decca subsidiary, ironically enough. Because the previous Decca contract precluded Holly from redoing any song he'd recorded while signed to the label, Bob Thiele, who did A&R for both Brunswick and sister label Coral, came up with the idea of putting out the new version under a band name. When they got the news, Holly, Allison, Mauldin and new rhythm guitarist Niki Sullivan pored over the insects section of an encyclopedia, reputedly rejecting "The Beetles" before settling on "The Crickets." Brunswick released "That'll Be The Day" in May, and Coral put out "Words Of Love," with its captivating descending harmonies, under Holly's name in June.
Having found his sweet spot, Holly camped out in Clovis, laying down tracks with Petty as fast as he could crank them out. One after another, they banged out the soon-to-be hits "Not Fade Away" (which inventively employs the Bo Diddley beat and invokes the clipped, incantatory tribal language of rock: "Love is real a-not fade away"), the celesta-accented "Everyday," "Oh, Boy!" and "Peggy Sue," along with intriguing oddities like the obsessively insistent ''I'm Gonna Love You Too" (inadvertently capturing the chirping of an actual cricket), "Listen To Me" (which, like "Words Of Love," appropriates the chord changes of Mickey & Sylvia's then-current #1 single "Love Is Strange"), "Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues" (a sort of Southwestern doo-wop hybrid, with Petty's wife Vi on piano) and Buddy's Elvisized reading of Little Richard's "Reddy Teddy." Amazingly, all these killers were cut before "That'll Be The Day" entered the charts that August. It hit #1 a month later, while going to #2 on the R&B charts, a rarity for a white artist. But not everyone was even aware of The Crickets' racial makeup – the band played Harlem's Apollo after they'd been booked under the mistaken assumption that they were black.
It was during these fruitful sessions that the hot-wired youngster came up with the bag of tricks that would provide a major part of the blueprint for rock recording – one that has been consistently employed throughout every subsequent era. In his Encyclopedia Britannica's entry on Holly, musician Marshall Crenshaw wrote: "The Crickets records feature unusual microphone placement techniques, imaginative echo chamber effects and overdubbing, a process that in the 1950s meant superimposing one recording on another ... The Crickets camped out at Petty's studio for days at a time, using it as a combination laboratory and playground. They were the first rock and rollers to approach the recording process in this manner."
The tracks featured myriad novel touches. "Words Of Love" was one of the earliest examples of overdubbing, years before the advent of multitracking. Presumably, drums, bass, Holly's rhythm guitar and vocal were recorded first, with lead guitar and backing vocals laid on top. On "Not Fade Away" and the group's spot-on cover of Presley's "Baby I Don't Care," Allison substituted a cardboard box for his drum kit, while simply hitting a cymbal on "Well... All Right." His approach to "Everyday" was even more basic – he just slapped his knees.
A passionate fan even after becoming a star himself, Holly filled out his repertoire with exhilarating takes on the hits of the day, sometimes transforming the familiar into unexpected new shapes, as he blended in arrangement elements from other hits into his versions. Buddy's take on R&B singer Chuck Willis' "It's Too Late," for example, is pushed in the direction of Elvis via Jordanaires-style backing vocals.
With The Crickets climbing the charts for Brunswick, Coral got busy, smartly going with the heart-pumping paean to young lust "Peggy Sue" as the next single issued by the label under Holly's name. It had originally been titled "Cindy Lou," but Allison had talked Holly into renaming it after his girlfriend and wife-to-be. Holly's most beloved track, "Peggy Sue" topped out at #3 in the States but hit #1 in the United Kingdom, like "That'll Be The Day" before it, as Hollymania took hold of British youth, who came to adore him as much as they did Elvis. While Buddy and The Crickets were tearing it up on their U.K. tour in March 1958, they had four cuts in the British Top 30.
After The Crickets' first single hit #1, urgent calls for more potential hits were issued from Thiele, so in September 1957, Holly and his mates hooked up with Petty, who was then on tour with his instrumental trio, at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City. There they cut the high-revving "Maybe Baby," which would be the A-side of The Crickets' follow-up single-backed with the Clovis-cut "Tell Me How," with local singing group The Picks doing their best Jordanaires impersonation-as well as the teenybopper-toned "You've Got Love" and a cool-cat cover of Shorty Long's "Rock Me My Baby."
In late October, with "That'll Be The Day," "Maybe Baby," "Peggy Sue," its B-side "Everyday" and "Words Of Love" blasting out of jukeboxes and car radios across the country, Brunswick released The "Chirping" Crickets album, while Coral issued its Siamese twin Buddy Holly in February of '58.
"Rave On," from Holly's first New York session in January 1958 (written by "Oh, Boy!" collaborators Sonny West and Bill Tilgheman), opens with the indelible, "Well-a-well-a-well-a little things you say and do," fusing his Presley fascination with the Chicago blues records he'd heard on the radio as a kid. On a subsequent New York date, he recorded a pair of newly penned Bobby Darin songs, "Early In The Morning" and "Now We're One."
The second half of '58 was marked by major changes. In August, Holly married New York native Maria Elena nee Santiago after proposing to her on their first date (a perfect instance of life imitating art), and the newlyweds moved into a Greenwich Village apartment. But Allison and Mauldin decided to stay in Lubbock, formally ending the partnership and taking The Crickets name with them, though they'd do one last string of dates together in the fall. Around the same time, they all split with Petty, suspicious of his accounting methods. Just weeks earlier, back in Clovis, the old crew had nailed it one last time with the pumping "It's So Easy." Soon afterward, Buddy cut the Bo Diddley powered "Loves Made A Fool Of You" with a stand-in rhythm section, not missing a step.
In late October, on what would be his last session, Holly recorded four songs in New York with the Dick Jacobs Orchestra, his lone experience with strings. On "Raining In My Heart," "True Love Ways" and "I Guess It Doesn't Matter Anymore," the latter written for him by Paul Anka, "he played off strings like Sam Cooke would: as an ultimatum," noted Tim Riley. "Instead of sinking down into them, he made them cower, defied them where others caved."
"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was released the next January, and Holly began a tour of the Midwest with his new sidemen, guitarist Tommy Allsup and fellow Lubbock native Waylon Jennings. That tour came to an abrupt end when, on February 3, 1959, Holly, who was just 22, perished in a plane crash, along with J. P. Richardson (known as The Big Bopper) and Ritchie Valens.
Because Holly had compulsively taped virtually every song and arrangement idea from 1955 until his death, Coral had enough material to keep putting out new music for the next seven years. The most fascinating of these recordings were the "apartment tapes," simple guitar-and-vocal takes laid down mostly in January 1959, including "Peggy Sue Got Married," "Crying, Waiting, Hoping," "Learning The Game" and "What To Do," here stripped of Petty's posthumous sweetening.
In those two years of feverish activity, Buddy Holly not only wrote a vital early chapter in the history of rock 'n' roll, he made it all seem easy, fun and perfectly natural – and that may have been his greatest gift of all. More than anyone, Holly was the father of the D.I.Y. impulse that has defined and driven rock ever since. In terms of wall-to-wall impact, this one-of-a-kind songwriter, singer, guitarist and record-maker ranks right up there with Chuck Berry as an archetypal rock 'n' roll auteur.
Bud Scoppa
July 2008
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DISC ONE
1. Down The Line - Buddy & Bob (undubbed)
(Bob Montgomery, Norman Petty, Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Wichita Falls, Texas, Mid-1955
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Bob Montgomery (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
2. Soft Place In My Heart - Buddy & Bob (undubbed)
(Bob Montgomery)
Recorded in Wichita Falls, Texas, 1954-1955
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Bob Montgomery (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (fiddle)
Don Guess (bass)
Previously Unreleased
3. You And I Are Through - Buddy & Bob
(Bob Montgomery)
Probably recorded Wichita Falls, June 7, 1955
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Bob Montgomery (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
4. Midnight Shift
(Jimmy Ainsworth-Earl Lee)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Grady Martin (rhythm guitar)
Sonny Curtis (lead guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Doug Kirkham (percussion)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
5. Love Me
(Sue Parrish-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Grady Martin (rhythm guitar)
Sonny Curtis (lead guitar)
Don Guess (bass);
Doug Kirkham (percussion)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally Decca single 29854
6. Don't Come Back Knockin'
(Sue Parrish-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Grady Martin (rhythm guitar)
Sonny Curtis (lead guitar)
Don Guess (bass);
Doug Kirkham (percussion)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
7. Blue Days, Black Nights
(Ben Hall)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, January 26, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Grady Martin (rhythm guitar)
Sonny Curtis (lead guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Doug Kirkham (percussion)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally Decca single 29854
8. Baby, Won't You Come Out Tonight
(Don Guess)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February-April 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MCA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
9. I'm Gonna Set My Foot Down
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February-April 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
10. Changing All Those Changes
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February-April 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MCA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
11. Rock-A-Bye Rock
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February-April 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MCA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
12. Rock Around With Ollie Vee
(Sonny Curtis)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, July 22, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
13. Girl On My Mind
(Don Guess)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, July 22, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
14. Ting-A-Ling
(Nugetre)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, July 22, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Sonny Curtis (guitar)
Don Guess (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally on the Decca LP 8707, That'll Be The Day
15. Modern Don Juan
(Don Guess-Jack Neal)
Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, November 15, 1956
Buddy Holly (vocal)
Harold Bradley (guitar)
Grady Martin (guitar}
Don Guess (bass)
Floyd Cramer (piano)
Farris Coursey (drums)
E.R. "Dutch" McMillin (alto saxophone)
Produced by Owen Bradley
Originally Decca single 30166
16. Holly Hop (undubbed)
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in the Holley Family Garage, late November/early December 1956
Buddy Holly (guitar)
Unknown (guitar)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
17. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man (undubbed)
(Chuck Berry)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, between December 1956 and January 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Unknown (second guitar)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the MCA LP 27059, For The First Time Anywhere
18. That'll Be The Day
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly-Jerry Allison)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February 25, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass);
Jerry Allison (drums)
Niki Sullivan, June Clark, Gary and Romano Tollet (background vocals)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55009
19. I'm Looking For Someone To Love
(Buddy Holly-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February 25, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Larry Welborn (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Niki Sullivan, June Clark, Gary and Ramona Tollet (background vocals)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55009
20. Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues
(Ruth Roberts-Bill Katz-Stanley Clayton)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, April 8, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Vi Petty (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61852
__________________________________________________
DISC TWO:
1. Words Of Love
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, April 8, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61852
2. Not Fade Away
(Charles Hardin-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 29, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
probably Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, Niki Sullivan (background vocals)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55035
3. Everyday
(Charles Hardin-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 29, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Norman Petty (celeste)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums/percussion)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61885
4. Ready Teddy
(Robert Blackwell-John Marascalco)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, between May and July 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Niki Sullivan (rhythm guitar)
Vi Petty (piano)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally released on the Coral LP 57210, Buddy Holly
5. Tell Me How
(Charles Hardin-Jerry Allison-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, between May and July 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Niki Sullivan (rhythm guitar)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally released on the Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
6. Oh Boy!
(Sunny West-Bill Tilghman-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, July 1, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed, July 12, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55035
7. Listen To Me
(Charles Hardin-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 29-July 1, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61947
8. Peggy Sue
(Jerry Allison-Norman Petty-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 29-July 1, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Niki Sullivan (guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61885
9. I'm Gonna Love You Too
(Joe Mauldin-Niki Sullivan-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 29-July 1, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61947
10. It's Too Late
(Chuck Willis)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, July 12, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
11. Maybe Baby
(Norman Petty-Charles Hardin)
Recorded at the Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September 27-28, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Niki Sullivan (guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums); The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
12. You've Got Love
(Johnny Wilson-Roy Orbison-Norman Petty)
Recorded at the Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September 29,1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Niki Sullivan (rhythm guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
13. Rock Me My Baby
(Susan Heather-Shorty Long)
Recorded at the Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September 29, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Niki Sullivan (rhythm guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Picks (Bill Pickering, John Pickering, Bob Lapham) (background vocals overdubbed-in Clovis, New Mexico, October 12-14, 1957)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on Brunswick LP 54038, The "Chirping" Crickets
14. Look At Me
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly-Jerry Allison)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, December 19, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums-percussion)
Vi Petty (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Coral LP 57210, Buddy Holly
15. You're So Square (Baby I Don't Care)
(Jerry Lieber-Mike Stoller)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, December 19, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
CW. Kendall, Jr. (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Coral LP 57210, Buddy Holly
16. Little Baby
(Buddy Holly-Norman Petty-C.W. Kendall)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, December 19, 1957
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
CW. Kendall, Jr. (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Coral LP 5721 0, Buddy Holly
17. Rave On
(Sunny West-Bill Tilghman-Norman Petty)
Recorded in New York City, January 25, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Al Caiola (guitar)
Donald Arnone (rhythm guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Norman Petty (piano)
Produced by Norman Petty & Bob Thiele
Originally on the Coral LP 57210, Buddy Holly
18. Well ... All Right
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly-Jerry Allison-Joe B. Mauldin)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February 12, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 62051
19. Take Your Time
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, probably February 14, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Norman Petty (organ)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (cardboard box)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 61985
20. Fool's Paradise
(Sonny LeGlaire-Horace Linsley-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, probably February 13, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Vi Petty (piano)
The Roses (Bob Linville, Ray Bush and David Bigham) (background vocals); piano and background vocals overdubbed, in Clovis, New Mexico, February 19, 1958
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55072
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DISC THREE
1. Think It Over
(Buddy Holly-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, February 13, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Vi Petty (piano)
The Roses (Bob Linville, Ray Bush and David Bigham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, February 19, 1958)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55072
2. Heartbeat
(Bob Montgomery-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 26, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar)
George Alwood (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 62051
3. It's So Easy
(Buddy Holly-Norman Petty)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 25, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Roses (Bob Linville, Roy Bush and David Bigham) (background vocals overdubbed in Clovis, New Mexico, May 27, 1958)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55094
4. Lonesome Tears
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, May 25, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass)
Jerry Allison (drums)
The Roses (background vocals overdubbed May 27, 1958)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Brunswick single 55094
5. Love's Made A Fool Of You
(Buddy Holly-Bob Montgomery)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 2, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar)
George Alwood (bass)
Bo Clarke (drums)
Unknown (handclaps overdubbed, January 7, 1964)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally on the Coral LP 57450, Showcase
6. Wishing
(Buddy Holly-Bob Montgomery)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, June 2, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-rhythm guitar)
Tommy Allsup (lead guitar);
George Alwood (bass)
Bo Clarke (drums)
The Fireballs (overdubbed 1963)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 62369
7. Early In The Morning
(Bobby Darin-Woody Harris)
Recorded in New York City, June 19, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Al Chernet, George Barnes (guitars)
Sanford Bloch (bass)
Ernest Hayes (piano)
Sam "The Man" Taylor (tenor sax)
Panama Francis, Philip Krous (drums);
The Helen Way Singers (Helen Way, Harriet Young, Maeretha Stewart, Theresa Merritt) (background vocals)
Unknown (piano, bass)
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally Coral single 62006
8. Now We're One
(Bobby Darin)
Recorded in New York City, June 19, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Al Chernet, George Barnes (guitars)
Sanford Bloch (bass)
Ernest Hayes (piano)
Sam "The Man" Taylor (tenor sax)
Panama Francis, Philip Kraus (drums)
The Helen Way Singers (Helen Way, Harriet Young, Maeretha Stewart, Theresa Merritt) (background vocals)
Unknown (piano, bass)
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally Coral single 62006
9. Reminiscing
(King Curtis)
Recorded in Clovis, New Mexico, September 10, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Joe B. Mauldin (bass);
Jerry Allison (drums)
Curtis Ousley (a/k/a King Curtis) (tenor saxophone)
The fireballs (overdubbed 1962)
Produced by Norman Petty
Originally Coral single 62329
10. True Love Ways
(Norman Petty-Buddy Holly)
Recorded in New York City, October 21,1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Abraham "Boomie" Richmond (tenor sax)
Orchestra directed by Dick Jacobs
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally on the Coral LP 57326, The Buddy Holly Story
11. It Doesn't Matter Anymore
(Paul Anka)
Recorded in New York City, October 21, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Orchestra directed by Dick Jacobs
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally Coral single 62074
12. Raining In My Heart
(Boudleaux Bryant-Felice Bryant)
Recorded in New York City, October 21, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal only)
Orchestra directed by Dick Jacobs
Produced by Dick Jacobs
Originally Coral single 62074 (1959)
13. What To Do
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 3, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Previously unreleased in U.S.
14. Peggy Sue Got Married
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 5, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Originally on the MCA LP MCA6-80000, The Complete Buddy Holly
15. That Makes It Tough
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Mario Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 8, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Originally an the MCA LP MCA6-80000, The Complete Buddy Holly
16. Crying, Waiting, Hoping
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 14, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
17. Learning The Game
(Buddy Holly)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment, December 17, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-acoustic guitar)
Originally on the MCA LP MCA6-80000, The Complete Buddy Holly
18. You're The One
(Buddy Holly-Waylon Jennings-Slim Corbin)
Recorded at Radio KLLL in Lubbock, Texas, December 27, 1958
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar);
Waylon Jennings and Ray "Slim" Corbin (handclaps)
Originally the Coral LP 57450, Showcase
19. Smokey Joe's Cafe
(Jerry Leiber-Mike Stoller)
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment between January 1 and 20, 1959
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Previously unreleased in the U.S.
20. Dearest
(Elias McDaniel-Prentice Polk-Mickey Baker}
Recorded at Buddy & Maria Elena Holly's New York City apartment between January 1 and 20, 1959
Buddy Holly (vocal-guitar)
Originally on the MCA LP MCA6-8000, The Complete Buddy Holly
__________________________________________________
Brunswick recordings released as by The Crickets. MCA, Decca and Coral recordings released as by Buddy Holly.
Sources: Buddy Holly - His Songs And Interviews by Bill Griggs (1993, CD-ROM 2007) Remembering Buddy: A Definitive Biography by John Goldrosen and John Beecher (New York, Da Capo Press, 1996)
Brunswick and Coral tape boxes
__________________________________________________
Compilation Produced by Andy McKaie
Digitally remastered by Erick Labson, Universal Mastering - West, N. Hollywood, CA
Art Direction: Vartan
Design: Mike Fink @ilevel
Photo Coordination: Ryan Null
Photo Credits: Slipcase and booklet cover: S&G/Redferns/Retna; Slipcase back cover, digipak front and back, pgs. 2, 18: Universal Music Archives; Digipak collage: Universal Music Archives, Frank Driggs Collection, Photofest, Showtime Music Archives (Toronto); Digipak 2-panel spread, pg. 10: Copyright Lew Allen with permission of Mario Elena Holly and CMG Worldwide Inc.; Pgs. 4, 5, 6, 16: Buddy Holly Memorial Society/Universal Music Archives; Pg. 9: Photofest; Pg. 30: Showtime Music Archives (Toronto)
Production Manager: Beth Stempel
Legal Clearances: Andrew Labarrere
Product Manager: Adam Abrams
Special Thanks To: Maria Elena Holley and Jerry "J.I." Allison
__________________________________________________
Also Available by Buddy Holly:
Best Of/20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection Buddy Holly
Gold (2-CD)
Down The Line The Rarities (2-CD)
The "Chirping" Crickets
The Buddy Holly Collection (2-CD)
The Definitive Collection
The Great Buddy Holly
__________________________________________________
Get Buddy Holly ring tones for your phone! Text BUDDY to 30303 to get It's So Easy
Text BUDDY to 30303 to get Maybe Baby
Text BUDDY to 30303 to get That'll Be The Day
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