Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Music»Artists - A to K»Artists - B
    Artists - B Music - 1950s 2 Mins Read

    Big Bopper, The

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    The “Big Bopper” was born Jiles Perry Richardson on 24 October 1930, in Sabine Pass, Texas.

    Following military service in the Army, he worked as a DJ on Radio KTRM in Beaumont, Texas (where he assumed the ‘Big Bopper’ moniker) and set about establishing himself in the entertainment industry by attempting to break the world record for a marathon broadcast, which stood at over 122 hours non-stop.

    He smashed the record by eight minutes and received much publicity, resulting in an audition by the Starrite Publishing Company.

    He was signed to a recording contract and his first single was the self-penned Chantilly Lace.

    It became a major hit in America and Britain, selling a million copies, and was released in 37 countries.

    His follow-up single, Big Bopper’s Wedding, was also a sizable hit not long afterwards.

    At the end of 1958, with the success of both records under his belt, Jape (as he was called) was asked to join an extensive American concert tour featuring Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. It was a particularly harsh winter and Jape was flu-ridden, and the tour bus also had a broken heater.

    On 3 February, Waylon Jennings offered up his seat on a small plane the party had chartered so that the Big Bopper could travel with Valens and Holly to their next concert destination in comfort.

    Minutes after taking off, the plane crashed in a snowstorm killing all three artists and the pilot.

    Related Posts

    • Carl Perkins
      Carl Perkins
      Born in Lake County, Tennessee, on 9 April 1932, Carl Perkins…
    • Four Aces, The
      Four Aces, The
      Vocal group The Four Aces came together in 1951 when…
    • Bobby Fuller (The Bobby Fuller Four)
      Bobby Fuller (The Bobby Fuller Four)
      Born on 22 October 1942, Bobby Fuller was just another…
    • Brian Hyland
      Brian Hyland
      Brian was born on 12 November 1943 in Queens, New…
    • Mickey & Sylvia
      Mickey & Sylvia
      Mickey Baker was a music instructor and Sylvia Vanderpool one…
    • Johnny O'Keefe
      Johnny O'Keefe
      Johnny O'Keefe produced more Top 40 hits than any other…
    • Bev Harrell
      Bev Harrell
      Alongside Lynne Randell, petite (4' 9") blonde Bev Harrell was…
    • Blues Incorporated
      Blues Incorporated
      Blues Incorporated was formed in 1962 by Cyril Davies and…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleBig Black
    Next Article Big Brother & The Holding Company

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Yes
      Art-rock group Yes formed in 1968 with Jon Anderson on vocals, […]
    • Smokie
      Back in 1964, Chris Norman, Terry Uttley and Alan Silson were […]
    • Strange Days (1995)
      Ralph Fiennes plays Lenny Nero, a paranoid ex-cop dealing in […]
    • Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)
      John Schlesinger was hot after Midnight Cowboy (1969) and this […]
    • Campion
      1 9 8 9 – 1 9 9 0 (UK/USA) 16 x 50 minute episodes In […]
    • Soul Asylum
      Soul Asylum were in the right place and the right time to grab […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.