RIP Jerry Allison drummer with Buddy Holly and The Crickets

zinniabooklover

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Jerry Allison, born 31 August 1939, died 22 August 2022

Couldn't find a thread for him or even for Buddy Holly.

Jerry was born in Hillsboro, Texas and met Buddy Holly in junior high school. Jerry co-wrote many hits including 'That'll Be The Day'. The Crickets generally went for a stripped down, basic rock n' roll sound but also experimented with multi-tracking and overdubbing. On the hit single 'Everyday' Jerry can be heard slapping his knees instead of playing drums. Buddy Holly was killed in a plane crash in 1959 after which The Crickets continued to play together, to tour, to work as the backing band for the Everly Brothers and to work as session musicians. The Crickets recorded the first ever version of 'I Fought The Law', a Sonny Curtis song that was later covered by The Clash.

The Crickets were voted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
 

'That'll Be The Day' - Buddy Holly and The Crickets. 1m 20s.

Live on the Ed Sullivan Show. Really good clear shots of Jerry Allison. He's just killing it on those drums.
 
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Buddy Holly / Crickets. 'Peggy Sue'. Live on Ed Sullivan again. Awesome shots of Jerry Allison. I believe he was just 18 here. Although that's hardly surprising given Buddy himself was only 22 when he died.

1m 54s.

Gotta quote this comment from the YT channel. So cool.

'[Jerry's] accents and dynamics are so well-placed and so flowing, he uses the drums melodically as well, truly supporting the music and not just "keeping the beat" '.
 
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Buddy Holly and The Crickets / Oh Boy / Ed Sullivan Show / 1958.
 
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From the Aug / Sept issue of Vintage Rock magazine, an article - written by Dan Biggane - on Buddy Holly, celebrating 65 years since 'That'll Be The Day' was released. Includes interview with Jerry Allison. There's a lot of good stuff in it but I loved these snippets from the opening section:

1) "Keith Richards, whose Rolling Stones scored their first UK Top 5 hit with a cover of 'Not Fade Away', proclaimed The Crickets were: 'the first global, international rock band of all time', when he inducted them into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2008."

2) "Famously, The Quarrymen featuring a pre-Beatles John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, made their first recording with a demo of 'That'll Be The Day' in 1958."

I was interested to learn of the existence of the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences which is a performing arts venue in Lubbock, Texas. There is also the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation which promotes Buddy's music and offers songwriting retreats and scholarships. Cool stuff.
 



Ivan (Jerry Allison) / Real Wild Child / 1958

2m 22s

Jerry Allison's only solo release. Buddy Holly on guitar and backing vocals. The song reached No. 68 on the Billboard chart.
 


Jerry Allison interviewed by Hudson Music in Nov 2013 / 'The Roots of Rock Drumming'

2m
 
It’s there, isn’t it? The paradiddles and the story.
Oh, did I post it after all? I don't mind if I've posted it twice. As long as it's here. I'll have to go back through them all. Which is fine, lots of nice stuff in the thread. :)
 
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