16 AMERICAN BLUES THEATER Jiles Perry "J. P." Richardson Jr. (October 24, 1930 – February 3, 1959), known as The Big Bopper, was an American musician, songwriter, and disc jockey whose rockabilly look, style, voice, and exuberant personality made him an early rock and roll star. He was born in Sabine Pass, Texas, the oldest son of oil-field worker. Richardson had two younger brothers, Cecil and James. The family soon moved to Beaumont, Texas. Richardson graduated from Beaumont High School in 1947 and then studied prelaw at Lamar College. Richardson worked part-time at Beaumont, Texas radio station KTRM (now KZZB). He was hired by the station full- time in 1949 and quit college. Richardson married Adrianne Joy Fryou on April 18, 1952, and their daughter Debra Joy was born in December 1953, soon after Richardson was promoted to supervisor of announcers at KTRM. In March 1955, he was drafted into the United States Army and did his basic training at Fort Ord, California. He spent the rest of his two-year service as a radar instructor at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Richardson returned to KTRM radio following his discharge as a corporal in March 1957. One of the station's sponsors wanted Richardson for a new time slot, and suggested an idea for a show. Richardson had seen college students doing a dance called The Bop, and he decided to call himself "The Big Bopper". His new radio show ran from 3:00 to 6:00 pm, and he soon became the station's program director. The man who launched Richardson as a recording artist was Harold "Pappy" Daily from Houston. Richardson's first single, "Beggar to a King", had a country flavor, but failed to gain any chart action. He soon cut "Chantilly Lace" as "The Big Bopper" for Pappy Daily's D label. Mercury bought the recording and released it at the end of June, 1958. It slowly began picking up airplay through July and August, and reached #6 on the pop charts spending 22 weeks in the national Top 40. In November 1958, he scored a second hit, a raucous novelty tune entitled "The Big Bopper's Wedding", in which Richardson pretends to be getting cold feet at the altar. Both "Chantilly Lace" and "Big Bopper's Wedding" were receiving top 40 radio airplay through January 1959. With the success of "Chantilly Lace", Richardson took time off from KTRM radio and joined Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Dion and the Belmonts, and Frankie Sardo for the "Winter Dance Party" tour starting on January 23, 1959. On the 11th night of the tour, the musicians played the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. On February 3, 1959, Richardson died in a plane crash, along with Holly, Valens, and pilot Roger Peterson. The accident was famously referred to as "The Day the Music Died" in Don McLean's 1971 song "American Pie". Richardson was survived by his wife Adrienne Joy Wenner (1936-2004) and five-year-old daughter, Debra. His son, Jay Perry Richardson, was born two months later in April 1959. Jay Perry Richardson also followed a musical career and was known professionally as "The Big Bopper, Jr.", performing around the world. ABOUT THE BIG BOPPER J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson and Ritchie Valens were the other two musicians who died in the February 3, 1959 plane crash after playing at the Surf Ballroom on February 2. Both are also featured in Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story. (edited from Wikipedia.org)