Buddy Holly-50 Years Later

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the plane crash that tragically took the lives of Buddy Holly(22 y.o.), Richie Valens (17 y.o.), and The Big Bopper (Jaye P. Richardson-28 y.o.). So much has been written about this day in Rock N Roll, known as “the day the music died” (from Don Mclean’s song “American Pie”). I’ve sometimes wondered what Buddy Holly’s music would’ve developed into had he lived. The same can be said for so many others-Eddie Cochran, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, yet we will never know. Perhaps if they had lived we might be disappointed by their current “smooth jazz/quiet storm/bad synthesizer” attempts as old men. Or maybe they’d be rockin' the house with great back-up bands like Big Sandy & The Flyrite Boys or The Dap-Kings.

Big Sandy-It's Time!

It was a great pleasure having Big Sandy & The Flyrite Boys at my studio when they recorded this album, as I’ve been a huge fan since their inception. This particular CD stands out as one of their best and most versatile efforts.

“It's Time! sounds as though it was recorded 50 years ago, which isn't a bad thing for a modern rockabilly/swing band that prides itself on using vintage equipment and a mix of old and new recording technology. The California group has been going strong for more than a decade, and these guys have easily proven that they are the real deal. All the wannabe swing bands from the 90s should have taken note. Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys sound genuine because they are. Unlike many of their counterparts from the recent swing craze, these guys aren’t rehashing the classics or trying to modernize the genre. Instead, they write original tunes that stay true to the originators.”-Jennifer Patton-Delusions Of Inadequacy