Saturday, February 7, 2009

Buddy Holly & the Crickets 1955 Touring Car on Display in Belle Plaine Iowa






Rounding out tribute week to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper is a month long exhibit of the Buddy Holly & the Crickets 1955 Touring car at the Belle Plaine (Iowa) Area Museum. Holly memorabilia collectors from Marshall county, Iowa were contacted by Peggy Sue (of the Holly song fame) about the availability of the car from a Lubbock, Texas source a few years ago. LeRoy and Patti Morford purchased and restored the 1955 Pontiac. The car (named Rave On after one of Holly's songs) was once owned by Jerry Allison the drummer of the Crickets. The present owners display the car at various car shows and parades. While other Holly memorabilia is on display at the museum a more personal item is located in the car's back seat - one of Buddy's acoustic guitars. Did he compose any of his hits on that guitar? Did he use the six string during live performances or recordings? You knows, but with all the attention focused on the Holly legend this week we unexpectedly walked into a setting of real Holly artifacts that simply won't fade away.

Listen or download here as museum volunteer, Elizabeth Gates describes the touring car and guitar. Know that.

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