Buddy Holly Center facts for kids
Buddy Holly Center sign
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | September 3, 1999 |
|---|---|
| Location | Lubbock, Texas |
| Type | Music museum and art gallery |
| Key holdings | Buddy Holly's Fender Stratocaster and horn-rimmed glasses |
The Buddy Holly Center is a cool place in Lubbock, Texas. It's all about the famous musician Buddy Holly and the music from Lubbock and West Texas. You can enjoy both live shows and amazing art here.
The building itself used to be a train station back in 1928. In 1996, the City of Lubbock got a huge collection of Buddy Holly's things. The city then bought the old train station. In 1999, the new Buddy Holly Center opened its doors. It became home to Buddy Holly's collection and also replaced the city's old Fine Arts Center.
The Center has a special area just for Buddy Holly's collection. Here, you can see items from his childhood and his music career. There's also the Texas Musician Hall of Fame and other art galleries. In 2002, a giant sculpture of Buddy Holly's famous horn-rimmed glasses was put outside. Later, in 2013, the house of Crickets drummer Jerry Allison was moved to the site. You can even tour it!
Contents
Discovering the Center's History
The Building's Journey
The Buddy Holly Center is in a building that started as a train station in 1928. It was called the Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway depot. A famous architect named Wyatt C. Hedrick designed it. The building looked like old Spanish castles. It was the biggest train station on that railway line.
Trains used this station for passengers and cargo until 1953. After that, it was used for storage. In 1976, it became a restaurant called the Depot Restaurant. This was one of the first times an old building in Lubbock was used for a totally new purpose. The city recognized it as a special landmark in 1979. It was even added to a national list of historic places in 1990. The restaurant closed in 1997, and the city bought the building that same year.
How the Center Began
Lubbock had a Fine Arts Center since 1984. But it was in an old building not meant for art. In 1996, the city received many items that belonged to Buddy Holly. The next year, the city bought the old train station. They started fixing it up and making it bigger. The goal was to create a new place for art and Buddy Holly's collection.
The original train station part was made to look just like it did in 1928. The new part of the building has a cool design on the wall. It features steel shapes that look like Buddy Holly's famous Fender Stratocaster electric guitar.
The new Buddy Holly Center opened on September 3, 1999. This was just a few days before Buddy Holly's birthday! It was planned as a place for music and art, celebrating Buddy Holly and West Texas music. Inside, you'll find the guitar-shaped gallery with Buddy Holly's collection. There's also the Texas Musician Hall of Fame and other galleries with changing art shows.
In May 2002, a giant sculpture of Holly's unique horn-rimmed glasses was placed outside. In 2010, a big update happened to one part of the Center. They fixed doors, windows, and the outside walls. Inside, they put in new floors, lights, and paint. They also added special shades to protect the items from sunlight. A new learning space was also created.
Crickets drummer Jerry Allison's house was moved to the Center's site. It opened for tours on September 7, 2013. This is where Allison and Holly wrote many of their songs!
Buddy Holly's Amazing Collection
The Buddy Holly Center has an incredible collection of Buddy Holly's things. The City of Lubbock got these items in 1996. The most famous items are the Fender Stratocaster guitar he played at his last concert. You can also see the glasses he was wearing when he passed away.
The collection also includes many other items from his music career. There's a recording microphone, his stage clothes, and a guitar strap he decorated himself. You can also see many of his albums. Plus, there are lots of photos, both from his career and his personal life. You'll find documents like postcards, fan mail, and his tour plans.
There are even letters, including one he wrote to A.V. Bamford. You can also see items from Buddy Holly's childhood. These include his homework assignments, a slingshot, and a leather-crafting kit. His own collection of 45-rpm records is also on display.
The Center also has Buddy Holly's 1958 Ariel Cyclone motorcycle. It's on loan from a Lubbock resident named George McMahan. After Holly's death, famous country singers Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter owned it.
Fun Exhibits and Events
The Buddy Holly Center often has new and exciting art shows. These have included everything from cool underwater photography to watercolor art from children's literature.
In October 2014, Paul McCartney from the Beatles played a concert at the Center. He talked about how Buddy Holly inspired The Beatles! The Center also hosts a Summer Showcase Concert Series. These are free concerts in its Meadows Courtyard from May to August. You can hear all kinds of music, like rock, rhythm and blues, funk, soul, country, metal, and mariachi. In August 2015, Latin roots rock musician Patricia Vonne played a concert there.
The Buddy Holly Center offers free entry on February 3. This day is known as "The Day the Music Died." It's the day Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a plane crash. On this day, you can also get free trolley tours of places related to Buddy Holly in Lubbock.
The Center has also offered free admission on other special days. This includes its participation in Lubbock's First Friday Art Trail. It was also free for its 15th anniversary in September 2014.
The Center also hosts many other community events. These include workshops on wire drawings and a Music, Art and Drama Camp for kids aged 8 to 12. They also have different Day of the Dead events. These include art shows, family art workshops, and concerts by Tejano bands.
See also
- List of music museums
