Buddy Holly’s memory further immortalized

Today marks what would have been the 75th birthday of Buddy Holly, the world-renowned singer-songwriter and producer who passed away far too soon, in a 1959 plane crash at 22. In honor of his numerous milestones — including a flurry of hit singles as a solo artist and as the front man of The Crickets, the entire music community recognizes the cultural significance and incredible talent of one of America’s most beloved entertainers.

Pop icon · The infamous Buddy Holly endures eternally in Hollywood and the music world as a pioneer of pop music, composition and songwriting. - Photo courtesy of Universal Music Group

Holly will be remembered by his widow, Maria Elena, and Peter Asher, of the famed duo Peter and Gordon, as his star on Hollywood Boulevard will be revealed. To further commemorate Holly’s memory, Verve Forecast has put out a tribute album, Listen to Me: Buddy Holly, an album that features a star-studded array of artists reinterpreting some of Buddy Holly’s most famous hits, such as “Peggy Sue” and “Take Your Time.”

Asher, the album’s executive producer, said he believes the new album celebrates the legacy of a man who had forever changed the music industry in both content and style.

“Well, you know, I don’t think I was right on Buddy Holly from the beginning,” Asher said, regarding Holly’s breakout onto the world stage. “I believe I was introduced to Buddy by my partner at the time, Gordon. He knew all the Buddy Holly songs. They were quite simple songs, using chords that we could easily play, and yet they were just tremendously great, catchy, harmonic songs!”

The music is, after all, what continues to make Holly an influential figure today.

“I think it’s still all about the music. Just like Mozart — what made Mozart famous was his music and then, nonetheless, you start looking at him after his life and find out that he was an incredibly interesting guy,” Asher said.

Asher also recognized that Holly embodied more than his music.

“He was clearly very smart. He had a nerdishness about him,” Asher said. “In fact, he was significant culturally to us, specifically to me, because he showed that you didn’t have to be tall, dark, and handsome — an Elvis type — to be a pop star.”

Holly’s less-than-glamorous image was undoubtedly a part of his universal appeal. As a self-proclaimed “white, nerdy type,” Asher admitted, “It was great for me to have someone to say ‘Look! Buddy Holly did it, so can I!’”

Beyond his noticeable cultural influences, it is important to consider all Holly could have been.

“He took his career seriously,” Asher said. “It was a shame — had he not died he would have been one of those people who wouldn’t have gone on to be a rock ‘n’ roll casualty. He was the kind of guy who would have gone on to producing records and starting a new label and all kinds of stuff that we’ll never know.”

But dwelling on what could have been is not what the celebration is about.

“I think he’s important for how much he did do in a terribly short time,” Asher said.

Asher is not the only Holly enthusiast; the 16 artists who are a part of Listen To Me are as well. Many were asked to be on the record, but Asher said some “didn’t care about Buddy Holly in the first place and then some people just jumped at it!”

Those who took on the project would typically express song preference themselves, but Asher had a hand in the process from time to time.

“Very often it was me trying to cast it,” Asher said. “In the case of The Fray, a band I love, they didn’t quite see how they were going to do a Buddy Holly song and I gave them a sort of treatment saying here’s the kind of song and here’s the feeling I think you should do it.”

Listen To Me: Buddy Holly is available now.  Pick up a copy to hear some of your favorite artists’ interpretations of some classic tunes.