Where They Stood

The final episode of this four part series takes a look at some of the conspiracy theories surrounding the fatal plane crash (one that led to the exhumation of The Big Bopper), how rock & roll was saved, and the legacy that raves on. 

Partial list of sources:

"The Day The Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's American Pie: American Pie Documentary

VH1's Behind The Music: The Day The Music Died

The Day The Music Died by Larry Lehmer

https://ronfranscell.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/BOPPER_EXHUMED_3-11-2007.pdf

https://www.agweb.com/news/business/farmland/american-pie-reborn-how-iowa-farmer-saved-buddy-holly

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/oct/22/don-mclean-american-pie-its-meaning-family-deaths-tragedy-60s#:~:text=McLean%20wrote%20it%20half%20a%20century%20ago%2C,for%20all%20what%20the%20lyrics%20actually%20mean.

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8 and a half hours. For 8 and a half hours, the bodies of four young men lay in a rural field in Iowa, half frozen with snow drifting around them. When these men were discovered, the word would spread far and wide but not take the time to notify loved ones first. How did the families of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, JP Richardson, and Roger Peterson find out about their deaths? And who would ultimately be blamed?

Sources:

Without Walls: Buddy Holly Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJXAErV6X-U

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/buddy-hollys-glasses-lost-since-his-death-in-1959-are-found-in-mason-city-iowahttps://www.405magazine.com/tommy-allsup-fate-and-a-flipped-coin/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIxwW3NbAx4

The Day The Music Died by Larry Lehmer
https://www.ritchievalens.com/ritchie-valens-donna.html#:~:text=Donna%20was%20a%20great%20comfort,Ritchie%20Valens

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-17/eddie-cochran-dies-and-gene-vincent-is-injured-in-a-uk-car-accident

VH1 Behind the Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twz_W-pfusc&t=35s

https://ifr-magazine.com/technique/the-day-the-music-died/

https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-widows-pique/

https://www.americanbluesscene.com/2025/01/%C2%A2%C3%B7remembering-the-day-the-music-died-the-1959-winter-dance-party-part-two/#:~:text=When%20Buddy%20found%20out%20he,man%2C%20that%27s%20more%20important.%E2%80%9D

https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/buddy-holly-plane-crash-weather
Scott Perdue Flywire-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX555dxBQz0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Vee

Waylon: The Autobiography by Waylon Jennings

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A three part series about Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and JP Richardson, the Big Bopper. This episode discusses the horrendous conditions the musicians traveled in and under as part of the Winter Dance Party tour, the concert on Feb. 2, 1959 at the Surf Ballroom, and the fateful flight that took their lives along with the life of pilot Roger Peterson. 

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Music: Saint Kilda Wedding by Harpo Marks

A three part series on Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and JP Richardson, the Big Bopper. This episode introduces these young men and what led to their fateful decision to tour with the Winter Dance Party. 

Cover art used with permission by Bradley Tierney

Sources for entire series: https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Ed-Sullivan-and-Buddy-Holly-have-feud, https://performingsongwriter.com/buddy-holly-ed-sullivan/, https://www.npr.org/2000/07/15/1079558/npr-100-la-bamba#:~:text=It%20was%20the%20late%201950s,Ritchie%20Valens%2C%20was%20made%20famous., https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0884023/bio/, https://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0641/2004047197-s.html, Sample text for Take a walk on the dark side : rock and roll myths, legends, and curses / R. Gary Patterson., https://www.cmt.com/news/y1rs6u/waylons-buddy-jennings-never-forgot-his-mentor, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-25-me-42671 story.html, https://chantel7.tripod.com/lasttour.htm#:~:text=On%20one%20of%20his%20last,a%20means%20to%20an%20end., https://www.grunge.com/293997/the-untold-truth-of-ritchie-valens/, https://www.wxpr.org/arts-life/2018-07-13/in-1959-buddy-holly-stopped-in-the-northwoods-on-the-winter-dance-party-tour, https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/life/2018/02/02/buddy-holly-ritchie-valens-clear-lake-surf-ballroom-plane-crash-day-music-died/301561002/, https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/buddy-holly-and-the-crickets/1959/surf-ballroom-clear-lake-ia-73d24acd.html, https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/buddy-holly-plane-crash-weather, https://www.bigrapidsnews.com/news/article/Family-of-The-Big-Bopper-want-bronze-statue-in-16828550.php, youtube that Dion produced called “The True Buddy Holly Story.” http://www.richieleeproductions.com/pdfs/Buddy%20Holly%20-%20Tipton.pdf

https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/roger-arthur-peterson/

https://alchetron.com/Roger-Peterson-%28pilot%29

https://sandiegotroubadour.com/the-winter-dance-party-1959-the-night-the-music-lived/

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Dr. Fred Drolett was a well known Lansing, MI doctor who delivered over 6,400 babies during his years of service. This man inspired his descendants to also live in a way that helps, saves, and nurtures others. In this episode you will learn more about the twists and turns of the Droletts but also their tie to the deadliest attack on a school in U.S. History. 

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Bernard and Rebecca Corr had many children. Meet their offspring: Ella, Frank, Tess, John, Lou, Bill, Earl, and Bridgie. These siblings not only shared parents and memories, they helped each other throughout life, even naming their offspring after each other. Learn more about these Corr siblings and their life stories. Included in this episode: the mysterious Grove Street, my fumbling of the word "interestingly," E.W. Sparrow, Frandor (of course), Edru, and Walt Disney. Also, please note how many times I edited the word "Mena."

Sources:

https://www.reddit.com/r/army/comments/tbh3fq/a_relative_of_mine_who_served_in_wwi_who_came/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/peritonitis#:~:text=Peritonitis%20is%20a%20redness%20and%20swelling%20(inflammation)%20of%20the%20lining,must%20seek%20immediate%20medical%20care.

https://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/battles-and-fighting/weapons-on-land/poison-gas/#:~:text=The%20Germans%20unleashed%20mustard%20gas,British%20and%2020%20percent%20American.

https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-stan-jolley-20120610-story.html

Debra McKrill

My step-mom

Bill Castanier

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The Corr line started in Ireland, grew in Ann Arbor, MI, and rooted itself in Lansing, MI. This family's story includes a murder, a disappearance, and wanderlust. Join me and a special Corr guest...or two...or three to discuss this family's unique and tangled roots.

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Flintstone#:~:text=Fred%20is%20a%20typical%20blue,%22%20is%20%22geological%20engineer%22.

https://sta2.org/church/

Ann Arbor Courier-Register Nov 29, 1899, “New St. Thomas Church”, Newspapers.com

https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

https://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/ArcGISOnline/StoryMaps/mhc_historical_markers/pdfs/MHC811984001.pdf

Geneology bank.com

https://www.iloveoldtown.org/about

https://michmemories.org/exhibits/default/catalog/8b8617a9030830dbfca98e2aa285699a

https://www.wkar.org/wkar-news/2024-07-10/kositcheks-menswear-temporarily-closes-after-storm-damage

https://kositcheks.com/pages/kositcheks-history-1

 https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2015/07/24/archives-frandor/30633057/

Historical Society of Greater Lansing

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April 2, 1977, the day before Palm Sunday, was not supposed to include a major weather event. However, a supercell that touched down in Kalamazoo and wrecked havoc all the way to Bath, MI, changed that for many people. Hear the stories from survivors and of the victims on the 47th anniversary of this horrific day, the "last" F4 tornado to hit Michigan.

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In this episode I dig deeper into the roots of the Hastings, Bennett and Gladding families. Also discussed are tips (and warnings) for your own research. 

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She's baaaack!  Join us as I read more of the stories we discussed in episode 8!  WARNING: The dates I give are a mess and so is the audio but that tracks!

Sources: Newspapers.com, Ancestry.com

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Music: Saint Kilda Wedding by Harpo Marks