Nobody wrote songs and played a Stratocaster like Buddy Holly. He was one of the giants of the early days of rock ‘n’ roll. Buddy was a prolific song writer in a self contained rock and roll band and was a major influence on the direction of popular music.

In the autumn of 1955, Buddy Holly and The Crickets first stepped on to the stage to open shows for Elvis Presley and Bill Haley and his Comets. By the time of his tragic death five years later, Holly had sealed his reputation as the creator of some of the most important recordings in 20th century popular music.

Released to mark the 50th anniversary of the emergence of Buddy Holly as one of the most admired and influential performers in rock ‘n’ roll, this definitive story takes an in depth look at how Holly became an icon of rock’s first generation through a succession of classic hits.

Narrated by music aficionado Paul Gambaccini, this documentary features all the landmark singles including That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue, Rave On and It Doesn’t Matter Anymore along with rarely seen archive footage, live TV performances and interviews from many of the individuals who played key roles in the development of Holly’s career.

Directed by Barry Barnes