Rock legend: Buddy’s guitarist takes the stage at fort

Mar 21 2008 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

LEGENDARY rock’n’roll guitarist Tommy Allsup will be appearing at a special performance in one of Wirral’s most unusual venues.

The man who almost took the same fatal flight as Buddy Holly will take part in the show which will include interviews, a question-and-answer session and live music.

Tommy Allsup was guitarist in the band Buddy Holly and the Crickets as rock’n’roll changed the face of popular music forever.

During their winter tour, Buddy Holly was killed in an airplane crash on February 3, 1959 at Clear Lake Iowa.

It was just the toss of a coin with Ritchie Valens which decided the final seating on the plane – effectively saving Tommy Allsup’s life.

After Holly's death, Allsup moved to California to work for Liberty Records, and eventually became one of their record producers, and then to Nashville to manage Metromedia Records.

The show at Fort Perch Rock in New Brighton takes place on Easter Sunday, March 23, from 1pm to 4pm, and entrance costs £5.

FOR more details see the website www.themerseybeatstory.piczo.com