Reading - The Day the Music Died

Read the text and complete the activities below.

On February 3, 1959, the world of rock and roll suffered a devastating loss that would later be known as "The Day the Music Died." In the midst of the "Winter Dance Party" tour across the Midwestern United States, three of the genre's brightest rising stars—Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson—boarded a small aircraft in Clear Lake, Iowa. Frustrated by the freezing conditions and mechanical failures of their tour bus, Holly decided to charter a plane to reach their next destination in Moorhead, Minnesota, more quickly. Tragically, the plane crashed into a cornfield shortly after takeoff due to poor weather conditions and pilot error, killing everyone on board.

At the time of the crash, the musicians were incredibly influential despite their young ages. Buddy Holly, only 22, was already revolutionizing music with his band, The Crickets, and establishing the standard lineup for rock bands. Ritchie Valens, just 17, was the first Mexican-American rock and roll star, famous for his hit "La Bamba." "The Big Bopper," a radio DJ turned singer, was known for his charismatic personality. Their sudden deaths shocked the nation and left a void in the music industry, marking the end of the initial, innocent era of 1950s rock and roll.

The phrase "The Day the Music Died" was not coined immediately after the crash but became immortalized years later in Don McLean's 1971 hit song, "American Pie." McLean’s lyrics reflect on the tragedy as a turning point where the optimism of the 1950s began to fade, leading into the turbulent cultural shifts of the 1960s. Today, the crash site is a place of pilgrimage for fans, and the legacy of these three artists continues to inspire musicians around the globe, proving that while the singers may be gone, their music certainly lives on.

ACTIVITIES

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice

Choose the best answer for each question.

1. Why did Buddy Holly decide to hire a plane?
a) He wanted to impress the other musicians. b) He was tired of the cold tour bus and wanted to arrive sooner. c) The tour bus had been involved in an accident. d) He wanted to fly the plane himself.

2. Which of the following statements about the victims is true according to the text?
a) They were all in their late thirties. b) They were unknown artists before the crash. c) They were influential figures in rock and roll. d) They were the pilots of the aircraft.

3. Who was the first Mexican-American rock and roll star mentioned in the text?
a) Don McLean b) J.P. Richardson c) Buddy Holly d) Ritchie Valens

4. What is the significance of Don McLean’s song "American Pie"?
a) It was written by Buddy Holly before he died. b) It popularized the phrase "The Day the Music Died." c) It describes the mechanical failures of the tour bus. d) It was released the day after the crash.

5. How does the author describe the cultural impact of the crash?
a) It marked the beginning of the disco era. b) It had very little effect on the music industry. c) It symbolized the end of the innocent era of the 1950s. d) It stopped people from listening to rock and roll.

Exercise 2: True, False, or Not Given

Decide if the statements are True, False, or Not Given based on the text.

1. The "Winter Dance Party" tour was taking place during the summer.
Select... True False Not Given

2. The plane crash was caused solely by a mechanical failure in the engine.
Select... True False Not Given

3. J.P. Richardson was also known as "The Big Bopper."
Select... True False Not Given

4. Don McLean was a close personal friend of Ritchie Valens.
Select... True False Not Given

5. Fans still visit the site where the plane crashed in Iowa.
Select... True False Not Given

Exercise 3: Gap Fill

Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the box. There is one extra word you do not need.

influential  |  pilgrimage  |  coined  |  standard  |  turbulent  |  innocent

1. The 1960s are often described as a decade due to the massive cultural and political changes.

2. Buddy Holly helped establish the lineup for rock bands, consisting of guitars, bass, and drums.

3. Every year, thousands of fans make a to the memorial site in Clear Lake.

4. The term "The Day the Music Died" was by Don McLean in his famous song.

5. Despite his short career, Ritchie Valens was highly in the Latin rock genre.