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| Buddy Holly's secret life Before leaving from Greenwich Village for the ill-fated "Winter Dance Party" ( a quickie Midwest concert tour ) in January 1959, Buddy Holly had been busy creating new songs and soaking up the rhythms around his Washington Square neighborhood. A new self-guided tour reveals Holly's secret life in Manhattan from September 1958 until his January 20, 1959 departure for Chicago. Fans will discover fascinating facts: * why Buddy Holly chose that address for his residence; * how he spent his nights in New York; * how he maintained his personal "living room" records; * and much more. Married life with his new bride María Elena Santiago and Greenwich Village set Buddy Holly aflame. According to his widow, "Buddy loved listening to jazz at the Village Vanguard and poetry at local coffeehouses. He wanted to write movie scores. He wanted to record with Ray Charles and adored gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. He wanted to produce young artists and had a protégé, Lou Giordano. Ritchie Valens had asked Buddy to record him. Dining at Cafe Madrid with María Elena and his friend Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers, he was so taken with the flamenco guitar that between sets he asked the guitarist to teach him how to play. He told Provi García he wanted to translate and cover Spanish classics." Christopher Street resident Fred Seidenbaum called this free tour "a welcome surprise and a treasure trove of new information." West 9th Street resident Connie Bradford said, "Instead of commemorating Buddy Holly's death on February 3rd, this tour focuses on a time when he was happy." write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page |