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April 18, 2023
Today in Texas History
By Bandera Spirits of Texas
The Bandera Prophet
On this day in 1952, J. P. Richardson, Jr., better known as "The Big Bopper," married Adrianne "Teetsie" Fryou. Richardson, a Beaumont deejay, recorded for Pappy Daily’s D Records and scored a rock-and-roll hit with his song "Chantilly Lace" in 1958. He also penned chart-toppers for George Jones with "White Lightning" and Johnny Preston with "Running Bear."
The Bopper wowed audiences with his colorful zoot suits and flamboyant performances, but kept his marriage secret to preserve his showy image to fans. He featured "Chantilly Lace" in a pioneering video production in 1958 and coined the term "music video."
The Bopper recorded some 21 of his own songs - many of which were regarded as novelty tunes.
After a performance on the "Winter Dance Party" tour on the night of Feb. 2, 1959, Richardson, suffering from the flu, switched places on the bus with Waylon Jennings to instead take a charter flight with musicians Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens to the tour’s next destination. The ensuing plane crash that killed all passengers shocked grieving fans on a day that was immortalized as the "Day the Music Died."
The Bopper wowed audiences with his colorful zoot suits and flamboyant performances, but kept his marriage secret to preserve his showy image to fans. He featured "Chantilly Lace" in a pioneering video production in 1958 and coined the term "music video."
The Bopper recorded some 21 of his own songs - many of which were regarded as novelty tunes.
After a performance on the "Winter Dance Party" tour on the night of Feb. 2, 1959, Richardson, suffering from the flu, switched places on the bus with Waylon Jennings to instead take a charter flight with musicians Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens to the tour’s next destination. The ensuing plane crash that killed all passengers shocked grieving fans on a day that was immortalized as the "Day the Music Died."