Who Didn't Get on Buddy Holly's Plane?

Waylon Jennings famously did not get on Buddy Holly's ill-fated plane, which tragically crashed on February 3, 1959, an event now widely known as "The Day the Music Died".

The Reason Waylon Jennings Missed the Flight

Waylon Jennings, then a member of Buddy Holly's band, the Crickets, was originally scheduled to fly with Holly. However, due to the severe cold and the tour bus's unreliable heating system, Holly decided to charter a small plane to get himself and two other band members to their next show in Moorhead, Minnesota, ahead of the bus.

Jennings generously gave up his seat on the plane to J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, who was suffering from the flu and found the conditions on the unheated bus unbearable. Another seat was determined by a coin toss, which Ritchie Valens won against Tommy Allsup, another member of Holly's band.

Before the flight, a lighthearted but ultimately tragic exchange occurred between Holly and Jennings. When Holly learned that Jennings was not going to fly, he said in jest: "Well, I hope your damned bus freezes up." Jennings, returning the humor, responded: "Well, I hope your ol' plane crashes." This humorous but ill-fated response would haunt Jennings for the rest of his life, a testament to the unforeseen tragedy that followed.

Other Musicians Who Didn't Fly

While Waylon Jennings is the most prominently associated with missing the flight, other notable musicians on the tour also opted not to fly:

• Tommy Allsup: As mentioned, Allsup lost a coin toss to Ritchie Valens for the final seat on the plane. He subsequently continued the tour by bus.
• Dion DiMucci: The lead singer of Dion and the Belmonts, Dion DiMucci decided against taking a seat on the plane. The $36 fare for the flight was equivalent to his parents' monthly rent, and he felt it was too expensive to justify.

The Fatal Flight's Passengers

The small Beechcraft Bonanza, piloted by Roger Peterson, carried three passengers in addition to the pilot. All perished when the plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Mason City, Iowa.

The crash marked a profound and somber moment in music history, abruptly ending a highly successful winter tour and claiming the lives of three pioneering rock and roll artists.