Buddy Holly: A Biography

by Ellis Amburn

Describes Buddy Holly's friendship with Elvis, his marriage to Maria Elena, the stories behind his most significant songs, and the truth about the plane crash that ended his life

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

422 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

Reviews

[Joe Rodeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a 5 Star 200-page biography buried within this doorstop of a book. It's a treat for serious rock and roll fans with in-depth explanations of the songs, the guitars (Fenders, Gibsons), the riffs--when you have Buddy Holly teaching Roy Orbison the lick that became "Oh Pretty Woman," you have real fun history. It also features lots of anecdotal information about Buddy's musical generational peer group; it explains well the fragile viability of R & R in '57-'58 and how it barely survived. (Chet Atkins and Elvis should get more credit, but there's no question that Buddy Holly and the Crickets begat the Beatles and the Stones.)

As expected, we see how young artists are taken advantage of by managers; ex, Norman Petty got to share writing credits on song after song he merely recorded.

What hurts is that the author doesn't know how to shut up. By the middle of the book, Buddy has already peaked and established his legacy. But it drones on and on with a cast of thousands, going off on tangents about other people and other quirks that a better publisher would have fixed.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre celeb bio... But I sure love Buddy.

[Naomi Krokowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Amburn's Dark Star, The Roy Orbison Story and was happy to see he chronicled Buddy Holly as well. Both books are exhaustively detailed and chronological, but the Holly one is superior. Perhaps this is because Holly was the more prolific and innovative songwriter, an enormous influence on the greats like the Beatles and the Stones.
His interviews with Holly's widow Maria Elena and brother Larry are hugely important to the book's success.
I ate this book up! So much of why Holly is revered today is well covered here. A masterpiece. Read it if you love Holly's music or his legacy influencing almost anyone who's anyone today inusic.

[Ralphz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good bio of one of rock's key figures. But it could've been better.

There's a lot here, from Buddy's childhood to the aftermath of his death and the start of his legend. But it delves too much, I think, into gossipy information, like sexual shenanigans and groupie adventures. That's something I expect more from Elvis - whose bio I'm reading next.

The author also gets sidetracked with odd asides, like paragraphs on Gordon Lightfoot's song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." There were other weird paragraphs here and there that came out of nowhere.

The book is also pretty condescending of Lubbock, Buddy's hometown. Maybe they deserved it, but he could have dialed it down.

Still, not awful by any means, but not the best.

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good information, but this book is way, way, way too long. The author delves into too many tangents and is unnecessarily repetitive.

[Mike Baker · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve never written a review like this before but I feel like I have to. I’m a huge Buddy Holly fan but this is one of the worst books I’ve read. The author takes great delight in telling about sexual adventures of pretty much anyone named in the book…usually with someone saying it happened and someone else saying it didn’t. This tripe continued in chapter after chapter. Combine that trash with words of wisdom such “if Mrs. Holley was anything like the authors mama” blah blah blah. Ambern, I don’t give a rats ass what you or your mama believe. If you want to tell me what Mrs. Holley believed then ask someone who actually knew her. Ambern probably did talk to a lot of sources but an authors job is to sift through that information and pull out the facts that tell the story best. The author failed miserably in this regard. I am now evaluating two other books on Buddy. Either is bound to be better than this one.

[Liz Pedroza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not light reading. Amburn’s tome is both physically and emotionally heavy. There is the obviously sad portion regarding the plane crash, but topics like racism, sexuality, drug use, financial abuse, and the treatment of artists are not shied away from or glossed over. These topics, often ignored, or made punchy and digestible in movies like Gary Busey’s Buddy Holly Story, are addressed in such a way that they don’t tear down our reverential view of the past and Holly, but rather give him, his era, and his influence their full due.

[FrozenDecemberMoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few months ago I read Philip Norman's "Rave On". While I enjoyed it I felt like it was a little incomplete. I feel that more now since reading this book. It goes deep into Buddy's life, tours, and death. This book is a must read for Holly fans. It also goes into the aftermath after Buddy's death and how hard it was on his friends and family.

A little warning: The only thing that was a little unsettling was the detail the author went into about the bodies after the plane crash.

[MaryAnn Baran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was born in 1977. Introduced to Buddy thanks to one of my favorite movies "Stand by Me" (and fav King short story!) and I've been wearing "Buddy Holly" glasses since the 90s. This was the book I didn't know I needed to read. I've read many other Holly bios - glad this one finally landed in my lap. I feel this was the most complete version of his life - thanks for all the research Mr. Ellis!

[Vincenzo Ridente · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very decent bio on Buddy Holly very well researched

[Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s alright! Aggresively alright. Fairly readable, the author comes off as a huge fanboy in an endearing way, but maybe a smidge too long. Buddy Holly died and I still had 100+ pages to go.

[Ola · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great music bio, one of the best ones that I've read. And I don't just say this because Buddy Holly's one of my favorite rock 'n' roll legends.

Here is where Ellis Amburn traces from Holly's humble beginnings in Lubbock, Texas, to the gradual rise to stardom, to the site of his fateful plane crash, and to his enduring legacy and influence.
Everything is wonderfully candid, and a lot of insight is given from those who knew Buddy well and loved him. Also included is a shitload of stuff chronicling the rise (and eventually fall) of early rock 'n' roll, commonly seen then as the Devil's music.

Goddamn...if I could turn back time I would go back to the fifties for one day. What I wouldn't give to see Buddy and the Crickets, Little Richard or Jerry Lee Lewis play live! But. I digress.

Highly recommended for anyone into rock's early years, and the life of one of rock's greatest legends. Highly recommended!

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good biography of one of the early giants of rock 'n roll. I've been a music collector for almost 50 years and this is a who's who of early rock: Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Rick Nelson, Fats Domino, Roy Orbison and a cast of thousands. They're all here along with the best picture of Maria Elena Holly that I've ever read. This is a must for anyone who wishes to understand the beginnings of rock 'n roll.

[Brian O'Leary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great telling of the chronology of Buddy Holly's life along with events after his life. If you are a fan I recommend you read it. The details leading up to his death are fantastic reading. But the author comes off as a jerk, criticizing everything along the way, reporting things that are hearsay as fact and gravitating toward anything that has to do with sex and drugs. As if he didn't know the strength of his own book and he thought he should add controversial topics just to sell some copies.

[Chris Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the Buddy Holly bios that I've read, and I've read everything I could get my hands on, this is by far my favorite. Less subjective and more informative without a doubt. I'm not saying that I believe all of the infromation that Amburn has included, but he touches on the positive and the not so positive.

[Jean Bosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the most thorough biography on Buddy that I've read. It made me wish I had been around in the 50's!!

Bands think they have it rough on tour these days... try being on the Winter Dance Party tour. Sheesh.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed biography, so a little slow to read. Just due to being a huge fan of Buddy Holly -this is great. Started reading due to the 50th anniversary of his untimely death. This book was a bit graphic in the reporting of the aftermath of the plane crash.

[Jed Ogea]

I just read a great book by Ellis Amburn. A character in the book is Buddy Holly. Now I'm going to write a short summary of the book. The book is about Buddy Holly from a kid growing up and taking you thought his career as a singer.

[Brian Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think you know Buddy Holly? If you think you got all you needed from the acclaimed Gary Busey film, you are wrong! There is so much good stuff in this book, Just read it and marvel the work of the man who in 3 years defined rock and roll.

[Carmen June · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love Buddy the pioneer! And I'm a pop culture junkie no matter the decade! PS. Buddy wasn't as wholesome as one might think. ;)

[Jeff Meurer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned that Buddy Holly lost his virginity in a gang bang, so.... I’ll think of that now every time I hear “Everyday.”