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CHANNELING BUDDY

While on a tour recently, I discovered that on my return trip home via I-90 that I would be close to the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. The Surf Ballroom is arguably the famous of infamous music venues in rock n roll history. It was there on February 2, 1959 that Buddy Holly, Big Bopper and Richie Valens gave their last performance. That date has been proclaimed “The Day The Music Died”.

Upon approaching the building I couldn’t help but notice how clean and maintained it was. It still serves as a rock concert hall and the marquis boasts of coming attractions. Armed with my fender Stratocaster I decided to take a look around. Once inside I had the most warm and energizing feeling. I could sense the vibe of that night; everything was just as I had envisioned. The large stage was about four feet high. The room although small by today’s standards (2020 occupancy) was acoustically live.

I saw the location film portion in “The Buddy Holly Story” as well as many photos of that fateful night, but this was the real deal. With exception of a coat of paint, nothing had changed, not even the furnishings.

The electrovoice ribbon mic that Buddy used as well as an acoustic Gibson J45 guitar was in a glass case. The guitar was in vintage condition and the only giveaway to its 50 years of silence were the green, once bronze strings.

On a small table near the box office was a pile of papers giving directions to the crash site. A very short drive north on Shore Drive (Now renamed Buddy Holly Place) was a large farm with a cornfield. On the left side was a truck path marked by a huge pair of Ray-Ban eyeglass frames. A quarter mile walk down the truck path the crash site appeared on the right. It was marked by a small memorial consisting of 3 stainless steel phonograph records with the entertainer’s names on them. Just to the right of the records were wings bearing the name of the young pilot Roger Peterson.

The fencepost and barbed wire have never been repaired and remain crumbled, rotting on the ground. What was unusual is that the ground still bares the imprint of the small Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft. One would have thought that the elements would have leveled the crater after a half century. There were flowers, guitar picks, calling cards, wallets, drivers licenses, and even a Stratocaster wammy bar placed at the crash site by visiting fans. There was no feeling of fear or suffering in the air. I just couldn’t believe how preserved everything was. The FAA report had concluded that 21 year old Roger Peterson was unable to fly visually due to bad weather. He was also not familiar with the newly invented Sperry gyroscope which showed the horizon upside down and inadvertently, he flew the plane straight into the ground.

The owner of the farm who looked to be about 90 said that the original memorial, a marble guitar had been stolen some years ago. He also remarked that it was he who found Buddy’s glasses and Rolex watch in the 1980’s. He also said that people still come up with shards of metal and small aircraft pieces to this day. It’s noteworthy to report that both the watch and eyeglass frames were donated to The Buddy Holly Museum Foundation.

Keep on rockin' Billy

For those of you who have not yet purchased “The British Walkers Are Coming”, it is currently available at the following stores. In Maryland at Joe’s Record Paradise in Rockville and in Virginia at all CD Cellar locations.

Online at CD Baby http://cdbaby.com/cd/TheBritishWalkers, I tunes, Rhapsody, and Amazon.

You can also purchase the CD through www.billyhancock.com www.britishwalkermusic.com and www.myspace.com/billyhancockmusic.

Thank all of you
Rock n Roll
Billy Hancock

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EXCERPTS FROM THE "OUT OF THE DARKNESS" REVIEW
BY MARC BRISTOL, BLUE SUEDE NEWS

PURCHASE CD - http://cdbaby.com/cd/billyhancock3

The show opens on a slight rewrite of Roosevelt Sykes’ “Dirty Mutha Fah Ya” as a Real Mutha Fuh Ya.’ followed by “Blue Train” with clear inspiration from “Mystery Train.” “A Fool And His Money” is derived from Fats Domino’s “The Fat Man’, which itself was built on the frame of “Junkers Blues.” Changing gears a bit “Going Down Slow” is not the St. Louis Jimmy tune, though it was likely inspired in part by that and perhaps “Killing Floor” from the Wolf. I’m really loving the way the band sounds here and it features some longtime cohorts of Hancock’s in Dave Chappell and Steve Wolf. “Really The Blues” evens mentions or quotes one of its inspirations In Guitar Slim’s “Things I Used To Do,” but also reminds me of Mean Old World.” Including Merle Haggard’s “Going Where The Lonely Go” is a touch of genius, and it’s also touching to hear Jim Kirkhuff’s “Tears For New Orleans” with it’s Dixieland groove, which also appears in “Lay Down A Blanket On The Floor.”

It all adds up to be a deeply rooted and very satisfying tour of the Blues, with plenty of Soul! Folks who had Billy Hancock pegged as a Rockabilly (ONLY) should be prepared to abandon that tunnel vision, just lay on your back (in your mind if necessary) on some dark grassy hill and contemplate the universe of stars, galaxies, nebulae, comets and other interstellar phenomena that his true musical spectrum encompasses! You’ve probably followed Billy Lee Riley down this same gravel road.

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