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February 3, 1959

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On February 3, 1959, known as “The Day the Music Died,” the plane carrying Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens crashed shortly after taking off from Clear Lake, Iowa. Did you know that Waylon Jennings was very nearly on the same plane?

On a grueling winter tour with the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and Dion & the Belmonts, Holly had chartered a small plane to transport his band - which included Waylon, Tommy Allsup, and Carl Bunch - and avoid the bus trouble they kept running into due to freezing temperatures. There were only three seats on the plane, and the Big Bopper was suffering with the flu, so Waylon gave up his seat on the plane.

The story goes that after the travel arrangements were switched around, Buddy Holly told Waylon “well, I hope your ol’ bus freezes up,” and Waylon said “well, I hope your ol’ plane crashes.”

Waylon went on to front Holly’s band for the remainder of the tour. He said in later interviews that he carried guilt for many years around that fated decision not to board the plane and his last conversation with Holly.

It’s crazy to think how different the world of outlaw country we know today might be if things had happened in a different way. I’m a lifelong Waylon nerd but just learned this story a few years ago and I’ve found that a lot of folks also haven’t heard it, so I thought I’d share it with you today.

#thedaythemusicdied #waylon #waylonjennings #buddyholly #musichistory #onthisday
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Waylon Jennings
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