New book explores Buddy Holly's continuing impact on music and fans

Hey Buddy: In Pursuit of Buddy Holly, My New Buddy John, and My Lost Decade of Music is Gary W. Moore’s chronicle of his personal journey to determine what made rock-and roll pioneer Buddy Holly so appealing and his music so timeless.

 Moore’s national book signing tour starts in Chicago and includes Anderson’s Book Shop at 123 W. Jefferson in Naperville on January 20 starting at 7:00 pm. For more information on his Chicago area appearances, visit http://garywmoore.net/blog/?cat=3

 Buddy Holly was just a kid from Lubbock, Texas, sporting black horn-rimmed glasses. Now, more than five decades after he died at age 22 in an Iowa plane crash on February 3, 1959, he and his music still affect lives around the world. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the writer and singer of “Peggy Sue,” “That’ll Be the Day,” “Rave On” and other hits as 13th among the 50 greatest artists of all time. “Not Fade Away,” an album of Holly’s complete studio recordings, has been nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award in the category for Best Historical Album.

 Hey Buddy includes interviews with Buddy’s personal friends and family members, people who were there the day of the crash, celebrities, and current-day Buddy enthusiasts.

  Gary Moore was born in Kankakee, IL, in 1954 but was not a fan of rock music. He knew nothing of Buddy Holly until he attended a tribute to him and his music by musician John Mueller in 2010. He was moved by the performance and astonished to learn that thousands of people of all ages around the globe are dedicated fans.

 Holly was one of the first rock-and-rollers to write, produce, and perform his own songs. His lyrics were more refined, his compositions more intricate, and his harmonies more complex than the songs of his contemporaries. Legendary musicians have acknowledged Holly’s influence, including The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

 Holly didn’t drink or do drugs, and he ignored racial barriers. Moore concludes that his life and songs bypass eras of popular culture and politics, and that fans relate to him on levels that aren't possible with today's superstars.

 Along the way, Moore uncovers new information about the doomed charter flight that took off in bad weather with an inexperienced 21-year-old pilot. Himself a pilot, Moore and an aviation crash expert formerly with the National Transportation Safety Board recreate the short flight. Moore is calling for a team of experts to re-evaluate the crash and plane wreckage based on claims from the owners of the plane that the truth behind what happened that fateful night has never been told. Visit http://heybuddyquest.com for more info.