Tommy Allsup facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tommy Allsup
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Allsup in 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Thomas Douglas Allsup |
| Born | November 24, 1931 Owasso, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | January 11, 2017 (aged 85) Springfield, Missouri, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock and roll, country, western swing |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, producer |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1949–2016 |
| Labels | Liberty |
| Associated acts | Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings |
Thomas Douglas Allsup (born November 24, 1931 – died January 11, 2017) was an American musician. He was known for playing rockabilly and swing music. Tommy Allsup played the guitar and also worked as a music producer.
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Early Life and Family
Tommy Allsup was born in 1931 near a town called Owasso, Oklahoma. He was a member of the Cherokee Nation, which is a Native American tribe. Tommy had a son named Austin. Austin is also a musician, just like his father. He even appeared on a TV show called The Voice.
Tommy Allsup's Music Career
Tommy Allsup worked with many famous musicians. One of them was Buddy Holly. Tommy played lead guitar on some of Buddy Holly's songs. These included "It's So Easy!" and "Lonesome Tears." He also played with a group called Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys.
The Fateful Coin Toss
In 1959, Tommy was on tour with Buddy Holly. Other musicians on the tour were Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. They were traveling by bus. To save time, some of them decided to fly to the next show.
Tommy Allsup flipped a coin with Ritchie Valens. The winner would get a seat on the small plane. Ritchie Valens won the coin toss. Sadly, the plane crashed on February 3, 1959. Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson, and the pilot Roger Peterson all died. This sad event is often called "The Day the Music Died".
At first, people thought Tommy Allsup had died in the crash. This was because he had given his wallet to Buddy Holly. Buddy Holly needed Tommy's ID to pick up a letter. But Tommy was safe because he lost the coin toss.
Moving to Los Angeles
After the crash, Tommy Allsup moved to Los Angeles. He played with different bands there. He also worked as a session musician. This means he played guitar on recordings for other artists. He even helped write some songs for a band called The Ventures. These songs included "Bluer Than Blue" and "Guitar Twist." Tommy played lead guitar on these songs for their albums.
Returning to Texas and Nashville
Later, Tommy moved back to Odessa, Texas. He worked with musicians like Ronnie Smith and Roy Orbison. He also worked with producer Willie Nelson. Tommy Allsup produced a very popular song called "In the Year 2525" by the group Zager & Evans.
In 1968, Tommy moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville is a big center for music. He continued to work as a session musician. He also produced an album for Bob Wills called 24 Great Hits by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. In the mid-1970s, Tommy produced two albums for the band Asleep at the Wheel.
Tommy's Heads Up Saloon
In 1979, Tommy Allsup opened his own club. It was in Fort Worth, Texas. He named it Tommy's Heads Up Saloon. The name was a reminder of the coin toss he had with Ritchie Valens 20 years earlier. "Heads up" refers to one side of a coin.
Later Life and Legacy
Tommy Allsup was the last surviving member of Buddy Holly's touring band from the 1959 Winter Dance Party. He passed away on January 11, 2017. He was 85 years old. He died in a hospital in Springfield, Missouri.
See also
