Two days before Buddy Holly died Feb. 3, 1959, in a plane crash on his way to Moorhead, our neighbor, John Gerken (right), watched him perform in Montevideo. He vividly recalls the event. John had to play in his own high school band concert earlier that evening, but scurried late to the ballroom with friends and caught most of the concert. Buddy did a ton of encores and the crowd loved him... and the Big Bopper... and Richie Valens. They played every song they knew, John recalls. "Peggy Sue," "That'll Be The Day," "Maybe, Baby," and so many more. The place was wild.Tonight we all attended a local production of "Buddy -- The Buddy Holly Story" at the history museum theater in downtown St. Paul. We were hosted and chauffeured by neighbors Tom and Sandy Story. Our party of six boomers enjoyed dinner at Mancini's beforehand.
The performance was very energetic and exciting. Our expert gave his approving nod and said the concert was great. Not that John is any proven judge of talent. Once, while attending the U of M, our neighbor wandered into "The Midnight Scholar" coffee house in Dinkytown and was totally unimpressed by the singing guitar player on stage. Just terrible, John said.
Some guy from Hibbing named Bobby Zimmerman.
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Everyone had some kind of Buddy Holly memory to tell. Kathleen remembered that her father bought a Magnavox HiFi at McGowan's on Grand in St. Paul. He picked out some long-play albums he would like and then this sweet, thoughtful man asked the clerk: "What are the kids listening to now? What would they like?
He took the clerk's immediate recommendation.
And so, again and again that year, Kathleen, her brothers and sister, played "Buddy Holly and the Crickets" on Dad's brand new HiFi.
Tom and Sandy Story -- The Buddy Holly Express
