Buddy Holly died on February 19th, 1999.
Buddy Holly . Soon after takeoff , the plane crashed , killing Holly , Ritchie Valens , The Big Bopper , and pilot Roger Peterson in a tragedy later referred to by Don McLean as `` The Day the Music Died '' . On February 3 , 1959 , rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly , Ritchie Valens , and J. P. `` The Big Bopper '' Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake , Iowa , together with pilot Roger Peterson .