Not Fade Away
Buddy Holly & Lubbock, Texas

After visiting the heartbreaking crash site in Iowa in 2016, I wanted to see the hometown of the late Buddy Holly while passing through the area. To follow, Buddy-related sights to honor this special musician.

At the Buddy Holly Center… closed at the time of my visit

The J.I. Allison House, the place where the music was written

Where the music was born

The story of Buddy Holly’s death happened way before I was born but has always left me raw. Admittedly a bit oddly, I tear up during Don McClean’s American Pie while singing it. And I can sing every word. But it’s the imagery of the marching band refusing to yield that hits me the most in. I’m sharing this because it’s a mysterious reaction that happens consistently despite there being more emotion-packed lines in the song. What is the backstory of that line?