Timeline Buddy Holly: That'll Be the Day

Eighteen months of hits that shaped the Beatles and the Stones — Buddy Holly from Lubbock to the day the music died.

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Dashed left edge = started before this timeline · Dashed right edge = still ongoing

Buddy Holly: That'll Be the Day 15

1936 Buddy Holly born in Lubbock, Texas Charles Hardin Holley The youngest of four children.
1955 Buddy Holly opens for Elvis Presley in Lubbock Turning point Seeing Elvis turns him from country to rock and roll.
1956 Buddy Holly's Nashville sessions for Decca Failed start Recordings that go nowhere.
1957 Buddy Holly records That'll Be the Day Norman Petty's studio, Clovis A line from John Wayne in The Searchers.
1957 Buddy Holly and the Crickets play the Apollo Harlem A white band on the Apollo bill, winning over the audience.
1957 Buddy Holly's That'll Be the Day reaches number one With the Crickets Number one in the US.
1957 Buddy Holly and the Crickets release The Chirping Crickets Debut album With Oh Boy! and Not Fade Away.
1957 Buddy Holly on The Ed Sullivan Show National TV Plays Peggy Sue and That'll Be the Day.
1958 Buddy Holly tours Britain Inspires British bands Seen by young musicians including future Beatles.
1958 Buddy Holly marries Maria Elena Santiago New York Married weeks after meeting her.
1958 Buddy Holly splits from the Crickets New York Leaves the band and producer Norman Petty.
1959 Buddy Holly killed in a plane crash The day the music died Killed near Clear Lake, Iowa, with Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.
1971 Don McLean's American Pie remembers Buddy Holly The day the music died The song gives the crash its name.
1978 Buddy Holly biopic The Buddy Holly Story released Gary Busey Gary Busey is nominated for an Oscar.
1986 Buddy Holly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame First class One of the first ten inductees.