It was January 10, 1964, and the Rolling Stones were just another band trying to make it. They stepped into a studio to record a song called Not Fade Away.
They did not write it themselves. They took it from Buddy Holly. Without that one song from a boy in glasses, the world might never have heard of Mick Jagger. It is a strange thought that the ‘bad boys’ of rock and roll owed everything to a clean-cut Texan.
The music they made that day felt like a heart beating fast. They took Buddy Holly’s melody and mixed it with a heavy rhythm. People in America had never heard anything quite like it before.
The Rolling Stones – Not Fade Away (TV 1964)
One viewer said that watching them play this feels like seeing history begin. Another fan mentioned that they look so young and hungry for success. Someone else wrote that they never knew Buddy Holly was the reason the Stones got a start in the United States.
The crazy energy of those early days was just the beginning of a much longer story. As they grew older, they stayed true to those same roots they found in 1964.
You can see how they took that simple Texas beat and turned it into a career that lasted sixty years.
The Rolling Stones • “Not Fade Away/I Just Wanna Make Love To You/I’m Alright” 1964
They moved with a strength that made everyone in the room stop and stare. Whether it was a television studio or a massive park, the feeling remained the same. They played with a peace that only comes from knowing exactly who you are.
Buddy Holly remained trued to his singing style. He proved that if you have a good beat and courage, you can change the course of music world.
Follow the Buddy Holly on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. You will want to keep up with his legacy.
The journey of the Rolling Stones is a lesson in staying honest. They never tried to be anything other than a group of guys who loved loud music. Their voices might be a little deeper now, but the soul is still there.