LM, Episode 1142, 2/2/23, The Day The Music Died

Sixty four years ago today, the plane carrying Buddy Holly, The Big Botter, J.P Richardson, and Richie Vallens crashed outside of Clear Lake, IA, an event immortalized in Don McClain’s song, American Pie.

I have always felt a kinship with Buddy Holly. I stop by the Surf Ballroom where he played his last show every time I drive through Clear Lake and have hiked a half mile through a soybean field to see the exact place where the plane crashed. Every night after reading to our children, I would sing Buddy Holly’s True Love Ways.

When Maggie first moved to Cincinnati, she nannied for three bright, well behaved children, Mitchie, Amy, and James. Although they were some of the most well behaved children I ever knew, they had their moments. Maggie asked Mitchie to stop doing something. When he starts doing it again, Maggie asks, “How many times should I have to ask you not to do that?”

Mitchie replies, “Three?”

Maggie says, “How about one?”

Maggie had a video of Mitchie and Amy playing and he is singing every work to American Pie. I have been listening to that song for nearly 50 years and I couldn’t do that. When he finishes, in her sweet, innocent voice, Amy says, “That’s a good song.”

Driving to the theater on Saturday night to do my show, American Pie came on the radio. I took a picture of my car’s audio screen and texted it to Maggie, saying, “That’s a good song.”

Whenever I think of those three children, it makes me smile. Thank you for listening and always remember laughter matters.