Hello, and welcome to This Day in History. Here’s what happened on February 3rd. This day in 1959 is known as the day the music died, the anniversary of the day rising American rock stars Buddy Holly, J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, and Ritchie Valens were killed when the small plane Holly chartered to take them to their next tour date crashed during stormy winter weather. The musicians’ deaths inspired Don McLean to write the 1972 hit American Pie.

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