Tribute to Buddy Holly
"Tribute to Buddy Holly" (also recorded as "A Tribute to Buddy Holly") is a song written by Geoff Goddard, first recorded by Mike Berry and the Outlaws as a single, which was released in September 1961 on His Master's Voice records. His first chart success, it reached number 24 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1961. The song was banned by the BBC for being too "morbid", regarding the death of 1950s rock and roll singer Buddy Holly, who died in a plane crash on 3 February 1959.
| "Tribute to Buddy Holly" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
1963 EP release | ||||
| Single by Mike Berry with the Outlaws | ||||
| from the EP A Tribute To Buddy Holly | ||||
| B-side | "What's The Matter" | |||
| Released | September 1961 | |||
| Recorded | 1961 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:56 | |||
| Label | His Master's Voice | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Geoff Goddard | |||
| Producer(s) | Joe Meek | |||
| Mike Berry with the Outlaws singles chronology | ||||
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Nonetheless, it started Berry's singing career and is one of his signature songs. Chad Allan and the Reflections, a band that would later become the Guess Who, recorded "Tribute to Buddy Holly" as their debut single in 1962, after hearing Berry's version. Another Canadian rock band, the Esquires, incorporated the song in their "Buddy Holly Medley" (which also features "Peggy Sue", "That'll Be the Day" and "Think It Over") on their only studio album Introducing The Esquires. Swedish rock band Hep Stars released the song as their second single in 1965, and became their first significant chart success.