That’ll Be The Day – The New Clovis Sessions

Buddy Holly & the Historic Norman Petty Clovis Studio

Buddy Holly and his Crickets burst out of Texas in 1957 with innovative southwestern rock and roll. Most Holly fans know that the Crickets came from Lubbock, Texas, but many are unaware that most of their hits were recorded in a small studio in Clovis, New Mexico.

The Clovis studio was started by Norman Petty, a musician who’d had a little success with his own pop instrumentals. In 1955 he opened a recording studio in his hometown of Clovis, a small town near the New Mexico – Texas border. The Petty Studio was the birthplace of some of the greatest early rock and roll of the late fifties.
The Petty Studio studio first struck gold with "Party Doll," recorded in 1956 by Buddy Knox. "Party Doll" sold a million copies and inspired Buddy Holly to visit the Petty Studio. In February 1957 Holly cut his first national hit; "That'll Be the Day" in Clovis. Over the next two years Holly and the Crickets recorded a string of hits in Clovis that defined early rock and roll.

Nighttime was prime recording time in Clovis. The small studio was located next to the highway and noisy trucks interfered with daytime recording. At night the studio was silent. Holly and the Crickets often worked through the night and into the early morning.


Petty allowed the Crickets to work by the session rather than by the hour, giving them time to perfect their trademark sound. Petty also installed state of the art recording equipment and built an echo chamber at the studio. The combination of Holly's musical talent and Petty's recording innovations resulted in several chart topping hits for the Crickets.

Holly died in a tragic airplane crash in 1959, just two years after he first recorded in Clovis. Not long after, Petty closed the studio and built new recording facilities downtown in a larger space. For the next fifty years the original Petty studio remained untouched, looking just as it did when Holly recorded there.

First New Recordings in 50 Years

Fifty years after Holly came to Clovis, the original Petty studio was reopened to record The New Clovis Sessions. These recordings are the first to come out of the studio since Petty shut it down shortly after Holly’s death.

The performers on The New Clovis Sessions are a collaboration of old and new. They include Holly's original bandmates together with a current generation of musicians. From back in the day come Holly's friends and musicians Larry Welborn, Tommy Allsup, Jack Neal, David Bigham and Gary and Ramona Tollet. Holly's pals are joined by John Mueller, Daryl Davis, Scott Porter, the Winter Dance Party Band and the L.A. Party Dolls. The music was captured by former Petty sound engineer, Johnny Mulhair.

The New Clovis Sessions feature Holly's original songs and other tunes from the era. The music was recorded the same way Holly did in the late 50's. Everyone gathered in the studio and worked through the evening and into the early morning, recording this CD in one long session




BUDDY HOLLY'S COUNTRY ROOTS

West Texas Music in the Early Fifties

Much has been written about the influence of rhythm and blues on early rock and roll. Less well known is the significant impact country music had on early rockers, particularly on Buddy Holly and his musicians and friends from Lubbock, Texas.

In the late 1940's and early 1950's, American music was still largely regional. This was especially true in rural and isolated West Texas. Country music with its traditional fiddle and guitar melodies appealed most to rural Texans. Country records were played on local radio, at home, and on jukeboxes in bars and cafes. Country music was so popular in West Texas that in 1953, Lubbock radio station KDAV became the first station in the United States to play "one hundred percent country music."

In addition to country music recordings, live country music was heard at local dances, clubs, and at concerts at the Cotton Club and Western Jamboree in Lubbock. Local performers and national stars were heard on live local radio. Live country barn-dance programs featuring multiple acts were popular on the larger radio stations broadcasting from Dallas and Shreveport and the powerful Mexican border radio stations.

Two forms of country music were deeply woven into the Texas musical fabric. Western Swing was a lively dance music that grew out of the earlier Texas string band styles. Western Swing had its heyday in the late 1930's and early 1940's. These large bands featured a wide variety of instruments including guitars, piano, horns, drums, and fiddles. Bob Wills' Texas Playboys were far and away the most popular and successful of the Western Swing bands. The Playboys toured constantly and frequently brought their energetic fiddle-inspired breakdowns and dance tunes to the dance halls of West Texas.

Honky Tonk music attained popularity in the late 1940's, reaching its peak in the early 1950's. Honky Tonk was born in the roadhouses and taverns known as "Honky-Tonks." To be heard in these noisy taverns, these smaller bands used the newly invented electric guitar, as well as the traditional fiddle, piano, and bass. Honky Tonk songs spoke of cheating, loneliness, heartache, and temptation.

Buddy Holly and his friends loved all kinds of music. When he was just five years old, Buddy joined his older brothers Larry and Travis onstage at a talent contest and won a five dollar prize. As he grew older Buddy taught himself guitar. He would play and sing wherever and whenever he could. Buddy played at home with his brothers, at school, and around Lubbock with his friends in various combos and bands. He played at store openings, school events, parties, and local dances. In High School Buddy and his friends had a weekly radio show on country station KDAV.

In the years before rock and roll, all West Texas musicians played country music. Buddy was no exception. Early photos show him performing in combos with fiddles, steel guitar, and stand-up bass – all standard country instruments. In 1953, Buddy and his friend Jack Neal recorded two country songs at KDAV. These recordings are presented here for the first time.

Rock and roll burst on the scene in the mid fifties and forever changed the musical landscape. Country music was swept aside by new rockin' rhythms. Buddy immediately embraced this new music. After seeing Elvis Presley perform in Lubbock in 1955, Buddy began playing nothing but rock and roll. Within two years he had a number one hit – "That'll Be The Day." He quickly rose to fame, but just as quickly his career ended. Buddy Holly's life was cut short by a tragic airplane crash in a snow covered field near Clear Lake Iowa, on February 3, 1959. The musicians who played with Buddy Holly returned to Texas. They continued their individual musical careers. Some played rock and roll, some country. Fifty years have now passed since the birth of rock and roll. The music has changed. Many of Buddy's musicians have been forgotten. But one thing has remained true – they have kept their deep roots in the traditional Texas country music.

A Historic Reunion in 2004

Each year the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock holds a symposium honoring Buddy's music and influence. Many of Buddy's former musicians return to Lubbock for these gatherings. Friendships are rekindled and old stories retold. Late in the evening in the courtyards and hotel rooms, musicians gather with their guitars. Jam sessions go on for hours. The most popular selections are the country songs of their youth.

Buddy's former musicians have influenced a younger generation of pickers and singers. This younger generation has come to Lubbock to seek out this traditional music, to pay tribute to these musicians, and to learn and share their musical experience. A new musical community has formed. The older musicians are passing the torch to a new generation. Together they have rediscovered Buddy's West Texas Country Roots. It seemed natural to record this traditional music for future generations, and the seeds for this project were sown.

When we planned these recordings, word quickly spread. People called about the sessions. Musicians wanted to contribute. Players flew in from Nashville and California. Buddy's bandmates came and brought old friends. They were joined by another legendary Texas band – Bob Wills' Texas Playboys. The project took on a life of its own, and in April 2004, thirty musicians came together for a week of recording, playing, and performing. It was a historical reunion. Old friends were reunited. New friends were made. Traditional music was shared. A new musical legacy was created.

These songs come from a simpler time. All were top hits in the 1940's and 1950's. These country standards form part of the musical heritage of West Texas. The musicians treasure these songs. Over the past 50 years these musicians have carefully preserved and cultivated these songs. Here they perform them with the energy and feeling as when they were new.
The songs on this album were recorded just as the originals. In the late 40's and early 50's there were no overdubs, no retakes, and no computers. The whole band played in the same room and the music went straight to acetate or tape. This project was recorded in the same way – the musicians went into the studio, turned on the tape, and started playing. The result of using the old techniques was that the musicians worked and played together as a band. The group interaction and energy can be heard in every song.

Working with these musicians was a great privilege. The opportunity to bring together this talent was exceptional. It was an honor to create recordings that will help preserve West Texas cultural traditions and maintain the continuity of this vibrant regional music. My deepest thanks to everyone who participated in this project.

Scott Porter - July 2004

Historical Photos Copyright Bill Griggs; Rockin' 50's Magazine