On this day 63 years ago, a plane crash claimed 3 of music’s brightest young stars. The Winter Dance Party tour was traveling across the Midwest, with Buddy Holly as one of the headliners. After several shows, he had grown tired of the long, cold drives via tour bus and chartered a plane for the next leg of the trip. Holly intended to travel with his 2 bandmates, Tommy Allsup and Waylon Jennings.

But neither traveled with him that fateful night. Before they parted ways, Holly teased Jennings and told him, “I hope your bus freezes up again.” Jennings replied, “Well, I hope your plane crashes.” Waylon Jennings was haunted by this comment for years. On The Day The Music Died, we celebrate the music of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper. We also celebrate the ones we love who dance with us through this thing called life.