Buddy Holly

Name at birth: Charles Hardin Holley

Buddy Holly was an early star of rock music whose most famous songs are "That'll Be The Day" and "Peggy Sue." Holly jumped into rock 'n' roll from a background in country and western music. He played the guitar and sang, and he had a keen interest in recording studio production techniques; he is credited with being the first to use overdubbing and double-tracking. (Holly's backing band was known as the Crickets, which inspired Paul McCartney and John Lennon to name their band the Beatles.) Holly was killed in the crash of a small plane in 1959, shortly after performing a concert in Clear Lake, Iowa. Killed in the same crash were fellow rockers Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson.