Buddy Holly ‘aids and abets’ the 1964 ‘British Invasion’

In March of 1958, “America’s Band” – Buddy Holly and the Crickets – performed 25 concerts in 25 days throughout England, and many rock’n’roll historians point to this tour as a “major turning point in popular music.”

 

“The British loved American rock’n’ roll, and the personal appearance of one of their favorite groups gave young English rockers a first-hand look at how the music was actually made,” reported the archivist at the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock, Texas, Buddy’s hometown.

In London, Buddy Holly performed with a British duet, sisters Frances and Stella Tanner.

 

Paul McCartney, a 15-year-old lad living in Liverpool, was among those who were watching via television. 

When the “British Invasion” arrived on American shores in 1964, it was led by the Beatles and The Rolling Stones, who were greatly influenced by Holly’s music. 

Dr. Aaron Krerowicz of Indianapolis, Ind., is a Beatles’ historian and author of six books about the band. He begins to connect the dots.

 “First of all, Buddy Holly’s band, the Crickets, inspired the Beatles’ own insectoid name,” Dr. Krerowicz said. “Quoting Paul McCartney: ‘I remember talking to John Lennon about this. Cricket. What a fantastic idea, it’s a little grasshopper, and it’s a game.'”

 “We were turned on by the idea of a double meaning, so with our wit and wisdom and whatever, we wanted something that would have a double meaning,” McCartney said. “Beetles were little insects, so that took care of that, but with an ‘A’ it became something to do with beat.”

 

Lennon offered confirmation: “When you said it, people thought of crawly things; and when you read it, it was beat music.’” 

“Second, it was Buddy Holly who inspired John Lennon and Paul McCartney to play, sing and write their own songs, Dr. Krerowicz said. 

Lennon said: “Buddy Holly was the first one who we were really aware of in England who could play and sing at the same time – not just strum, but actually play the licks.” 

In contrast, Elvis Presley was more of a singer than a guitar player, and Dr. Krorowicz inserted that he had heard Presley described as a guy who “wore the guitar better than he played it.” 

“Holly wrote original material, further inspiring the Beatles to do likewise,” Dr. Krorowicz said. 

Although the Beatles would eventually write, perform and record almost exclusively their original material, Dr. Krerowicz said, “in the early years, the band leaned heavily on cover songs for the majority of its stage repertoire. And throughout the Quarrymen/Beatles’ existence, they played a total of at least 13 Buddy Holly songs in live shows.”

 

Marcelo Sonaglioni of Buenos Aires, Argentina, a collector of “Rolling Stones data,” said Keith Richards and Mick Jagger viewed Holly as “an enormous inspiration, an artist who left an indelible mark on them.”

 

Jagger said Holly gave them “lesson one in songwriting…great songs can be very simple songs, but with changes in melodies, tempo and all that. You could learn from Buddy Holly how to write songs, the way he put them together. He was a beautiful writer.” 

Sonaglioni said: “The Rolling Stones, known for their raw and rebellious sound, credit Holly’s innovation and talent as a driving force behind their own success. Holly pushed the boundaries of music…and the pursuit of musical excellence.”

 

The Stones’ first big hit in the United States was a cover of Holly’s “Not Fade Away,” which the Stones recorded in January 1964 – 60 years ago. 

What made the song so appealing was its rhythmical pattern, which is based on Bo Diddley’s trademark beat. “Not Fade Away” became a “signature song” for the Mick Jagger sound.