We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably did not know about Buddy Holly, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about the late rock and roll musician that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: He Registered for Acting Classes. When he was married to Maria Elena Santiago, they would visit many venues in New York, and he was inspired to pursue more creative endeavors. He ended up registering for acting classes with Lee Strasburg’s Actors Studio.
Number Seven: He Had to Hide His Marriage. As part of his image of a rocker in a boy band, Holly had to play the perpetual bachelor. His wife would accompany him on tour, and he had to hide her identity by telling people she was a secretary.
Number Six: He Shouldn’t Have Been on That Plane. You probably know that Holly died in a tragic plane crash, but he wasn’t originally supposed to be on that plane. He was on tour and traveling by bus. However, because the buses kept breaking down, and in an effort to get more sleep, Holly chartered a plane.
Number Five: The Pilot Was Not Certified to Fly. Roger Peterson was the pilot in the plane carrying Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson. However, Peterson took off in inclement weather, and he was not certified to fly by instruments only.
Number Four: The Man Who Presided Over His Wedding Officiated His Funeral. Holly’s funeral took place on February 7, 1959, in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas. Ben D. Johnson, the same man who had presided over Holly’s wedding, also officiated the funeral service.
Number Three: His Headstone Has His Real Name. We mentioned in the first part of this list that Holly’s last name was really “Holley,” and to commemorate this, his tombstone reads “Buddy Holley,” rather than “Buddy Holly.” Also on the tombstone if a carving of his Fender Stratocaster guitar.
Number Two: His Wife Miscarried the Day After She Learned Holly Died. Holly’s wife, Maria Elena Santiago, was pregnant when she learned the news of Holly’s death. She miscarried the very next day, and the miscarriage was attributed to psychological trauma.
Number One: He Is One of the Most Influential Voices of Rock and Roll. Holly may have died before his time, but he still became one of the biggest rock and roll influences of all time. He is ranked at number 13 on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 100 Greatest Artists.