Jerry Allison
Encyclopedia
J.I. Allison is an American
musician
, best known for being the drummer
for The Crickets
and co-writer of their Buddy Holly hit "Peggy Sue".
Allison's first professional recording can be heard on a 45-rpm recording of another local legend named Hal Goodson and the Raiders
. This very rare recording was named "Who's Gonna Be the Next One Honey". This recording was also performed at the Norman Petty
studio in Clovis, NM about 6 months before Peggy Sue was recorded.
In their early days at the Lubbock Youth Center, Buddy Holly's vocal and guitar were backed only by Allison's drumming, allowing for some of Holly's best guitar work.
Over time, Allison's rhythm backup ranged from slapping hands-on-knees or hand-clapping the beat to a modal
plainness of cymbal
drumming. His snappy cracks at the snare drum
gave power to the songs released under the name The Crickets
. Later songs, released under Buddy Holly's own name, were softer in tone and filled with innocence and longing. On these, Allison played only tom-toms
in keeping with the sound of the vocals.
His work on The Crickets recordings gave the records much of their distinctiveness and has influenced subsequent generations of Rock and roll
drummers.
Norman Petty
, the manager
, often manipulated song-writing
credits and Allison, although credited with another recording to which he contributed little, helped to compose the music for some of the famous songs, notably "That'll Be The Day
" and "Peggy Sue
" (Allison later married Peggy Sue Gerron, the namesake of the latter song who, in her biography quotes Allison admitting he did not write Peggy Sue, "Buddy did"). "That'll Be The Day" was originally recorded by Holly before he started working with Petty, so the latter's appearance on the songwriting credits for the later version by The Crickets illustrates the point about manipulation of the credits. Allison has referred in several published interviews to his role in composing "Not Fade Away", whose credits show Norman Petty/Charles Hardin - the latter a pseudonym for Buddy Holly.
Although Allison did not sing on The Crickets records
made with Buddy Holly — despite misleading credits for the band's recordings as "vocal group with instrumental accompaniment" — in 1958 he did release the single "Real Wild Child" — having heard Johnny O'Keefe
play the original during The Crickets brief visit to Australia that year — which he recorded under the pseudonym Ivan, with Buddy Holly on guitar and backing vocals. It was a minor chart
entry in 1958 and the first studio
recording
of the song that would become a rock standard. Allison also sang on a few later releases by the Crickets, both singles and album tracks.
Allison also worked as a session musician
. For example, he played on the studio recording of The Everly Brothers
' "(Till) I Kissed You
" in 1959.
's biographer, John Goldrosen, Holly's song "Peggy Sue
" was originally named after Holly's niece, Cindy Lue. The name was changed at Allison's request to Peggy Sue. Peggy Sue was the name of Allison's eventual wife (later divorced), and the title change was a way of asking her to come back after a break up.
Joe B. Mauldin
who was in Buddy Holly's Crickets, and guitarist-singer Sonny Curtis
who played with Holly before The Crickets were formed in 1957, and rejoined shortly after Holly's death. Others who have been in and out of the band include Glen D. Hardin
, also associated with Elvis Presley
's last live band; Albert Lee
, also once part of Emmylou Harris
' Hot Band; and assorted lead vocalists including Earl Sinks, David Box, Jerry Naylor
, and Gordon Payne.
The band's last recordings for the Coral
label
included several singles which were incorporated in the 1960 album In Style with The Crickets. The rock classic "I Fought the Law
" written by Sonny Curtis
, first appeared here, and tracks from singles released after Holly's death included their version of Holly's "Love's Made a Fool of You", a chart entry for them in the UK in late 1959, and the Allison/Curtis composition "More Than I Can Say
" which was later recorded by Leo Sayer
and other artists.
Allison switched the band's contract to Liberty Records
in 1960, after they had supported The Everly Brothers on a UK tour. He moved his base to Los Angeles, where an old Texas friend Snuff Garrett was installed as a senior producer at Liberty. Allison, with Sonny Curtis and another former Holly sideman, Tommy Allsup
, became effectively members of the core the Liberty house band, working with Bobby Vee
, Johnny Burnette
and others. In this period they also played as backing musicians on tracks by Eddie Cochran
and, according to some reports, Conway Twitty
. Both Allison and Sonny Curtis were drafted at different times in this period, limiting any possibility of continuity in the make-up of The Crickets. Sonny Curtis also began to establish a significant solo career as a songwriter and singer/guitarist.
In the late 1970s, the band toured for a period with Waylon Jennings
, another one-time Buddy Holly sideman. In more recent years, The Crickets have put out albums including collaborations with many artists who recognize their influence in early rock 'n' roll. These include Nanci Griffith
, with whom they have also toured, Eric Clapton
, Paul McCartney
, Johnny Rivers
, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Vee, and many others.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, best known for being the drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
for The Crickets
The Crickets
The Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957....
and co-writer of their Buddy Holly hit "Peggy Sue".
Allison's first professional recording can be heard on a 45-rpm recording of another local legend named Hal Goodson and the Raiders
. This very rare recording was named "Who's Gonna Be the Next One Honey". This recording was also performed at the Norman Petty
Norman Petty
Norman Petty was an American musician, songwriter, and pioneer record producer who helped shape modern popular music, including pop and rock....
studio in Clovis, NM about 6 months before Peggy Sue was recorded.
In their early days at the Lubbock Youth Center, Buddy Holly's vocal and guitar were backed only by Allison's drumming, allowing for some of Holly's best guitar work.
Over time, Allison's rhythm backup ranged from slapping hands-on-knees or hand-clapping the beat to a modal
Modal
Modal may refer to:* Modal , a textile made from spun Beechwood cellulose fiber* Modal analysis, the study of the dynamic properties of structures under vibrational excitation...
plainness of cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
drumming. His snappy cracks at the snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
gave power to the songs released under the name The Crickets
The Crickets
The Crickets are a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day", released in 1957....
. Later songs, released under Buddy Holly's own name, were softer in tone and filled with innocence and longing. On these, Allison played only tom-toms
Tom-tom drum
A tom-tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snare.Although "tom-tom" is the British term for a child's toy drum, the name came originally from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala; the tom-tom itself comes from Asian or Native American cultures...
in keeping with the sound of the vocals.
His work on The Crickets recordings gave the records much of their distinctiveness and has influenced subsequent generations of Rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
drummers.
Norman Petty
Norman Petty
Norman Petty was an American musician, songwriter, and pioneer record producer who helped shape modern popular music, including pop and rock....
, the manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, often manipulated song-writing
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
credits and Allison, although credited with another recording to which he contributed little, helped to compose the music for some of the famous songs, notably "That'll Be The Day
That'll Be the Day
"That'll Be the Day" is a song written by Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison and recorded by various artists including The Crickets and Linda Ronstadt. It was also the first song to be recorded by The Quarrymen, the skiffle group that subsequently became The Beatles...
" and "Peggy Sue
Peggy Sue
"Peggy Sue" is a rock and roll song written by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and Norman Petty, and originally performed, recorded and released as a single by Buddy Holly in early July of 1957. The Crickets are not mentioned on the single but both Joe B. Mauldin and Jerry Allison are known to be...
" (Allison later married Peggy Sue Gerron, the namesake of the latter song who, in her biography quotes Allison admitting he did not write Peggy Sue, "Buddy did"). "That'll Be The Day" was originally recorded by Holly before he started working with Petty, so the latter's appearance on the songwriting credits for the later version by The Crickets illustrates the point about manipulation of the credits. Allison has referred in several published interviews to his role in composing "Not Fade Away", whose credits show Norman Petty/Charles Hardin - the latter a pseudonym for Buddy Holly.
Although Allison did not sing on The Crickets records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
made with Buddy Holly — despite misleading credits for the band's recordings as "vocal group with instrumental accompaniment" — in 1958 he did release the single "Real Wild Child" — having heard Johnny O'Keefe
Johnny O'Keefe
John Michael O'Keefe, known as Johnny O'Keefe was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. Some of his hits include "Wild One" , "Shout!" and "She's My Baby"...
play the original during The Crickets brief visit to Australia that year — which he recorded under the pseudonym Ivan, with Buddy Holly on guitar and backing vocals. It was a minor chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
entry in 1958 and the first studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
of the song that would become a rock standard. Allison also sang on a few later releases by the Crickets, both singles and album tracks.
Allison also worked as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
. For example, he played on the studio recording of The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing...
' "(Till) I Kissed You
(Till) I Kissed You
" I Kissed You" is a song written by Don Everly of The Everly Brothers. It was released as a single in 1959 and peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Connie Smith version:...
" in 1959.
Peggy Sue
According to Buddy HollyBuddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
's biographer, John Goldrosen, Holly's song "Peggy Sue
Peggy Sue
"Peggy Sue" is a rock and roll song written by Buddy Holly, Jerry Allison, and Norman Petty, and originally performed, recorded and released as a single by Buddy Holly in early July of 1957. The Crickets are not mentioned on the single but both Joe B. Mauldin and Jerry Allison are known to be...
" was originally named after Holly's niece, Cindy Lue. The name was changed at Allison's request to Peggy Sue. Peggy Sue was the name of Allison's eventual wife (later divorced), and the title change was a way of asking her to come back after a break up.
Career after Holly
After Holly's death in 1959, Allison continued his musical career. He retained control of the band's name, and has toured and recorded with a regularly changing group as The Crickets. The most consistent members of this band have been bassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Joe B. Mauldin
Joe B. Mauldin
Joe Benson Mauldin, Jr. is ranked among the top rock bassists and became a recording engineer at Gold Star Studios, the Los Angeles studio that became the hit factory for Phil Spector, Brian Wilson and other major 1960s rock performers...
who was in Buddy Holly's Crickets, and guitarist-singer Sonny Curtis
Sonny Curtis
Sonny Curtis is an American singer and songwriter. Most of his work falls into the Pop and Country genres. He was a teenage pal and band member with Buddy Holly in Lubbock, Texas...
who played with Holly before The Crickets were formed in 1957, and rejoined shortly after Holly's death. Others who have been in and out of the band include Glen D. Hardin
Glen Hardin
Glen D. Hardin is an American piano player, songwriter and arranger. He has performed and recorded with such notable artists as Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris, John Denver, Ricky Nelson and many others.-Career:...
, also associated with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's last live band; Albert Lee
Albert Lee
Albert William Lee, born 21 December 1943 in Leominster, Herefordshire, England, is an English guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee has worked both in the studio and on tour with some of the most famous musicians which stretch through a very wide of genres...
, also once part of Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
' Hot Band; and assorted lead vocalists including Earl Sinks, David Box, Jerry Naylor
Jerry Naylor
Jerry Naylor is an American country and rock and roll artist and broadcaster and inspirational speaker, who was the lead singer of The Crickets following the death of Buddy Holly.-Early life and career:...
, and Gordon Payne.
The band's last recordings for the Coral
Coral Records
Coral Records was a Decca Records subsidiary formed in 1949. It recorded pop artists McGuire Sisters and Teresa Brewer, as well as rock and roller Buddy Holly....
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
included several singles which were incorporated in the 1960 album In Style with The Crickets. The rock classic "I Fought the Law
I Fought the Law
"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets and became popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, which went on to become a top-ten hit for the band in 1966 and was also recorded by The Clash in 1979...
" written by Sonny Curtis
Sonny Curtis
Sonny Curtis is an American singer and songwriter. Most of his work falls into the Pop and Country genres. He was a teenage pal and band member with Buddy Holly in Lubbock, Texas...
, first appeared here, and tracks from singles released after Holly's death included their version of Holly's "Love's Made a Fool of You", a chart entry for them in the UK in late 1959, and the Allison/Curtis composition "More Than I Can Say
More Than I Can Say
"More Than I Can Say" is a song written by Sonny Curtis and Jerry Allison, both former members of Buddy Holly's band The Crickets and was recorded by their band in 1959 soon after Holly's death and was released in 1960. Their original version hit #42 on British Record Retailer Chart on 5/12/60...
" which was later recorded by Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer
Leo Sayer is a British singer-songwriter, musician, and entertainer whose singing career has spanned four decades. Sayer became a naturalised Australian citizen in 2009. Sayer was a top singles and album act on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1970s...
and other artists.
Allison switched the band's contract to Liberty Records
Liberty Records
Liberty Records was a United States-based record label. It was started by chairman Simon Waronker in 1955 with Al Bennett as president and Theodore Keep as chief engineer. It was reactivated in 2001 in the United Kingdom and had two previous revivals.-1950s:...
in 1960, after they had supported The Everly Brothers on a UK tour. He moved his base to Los Angeles, where an old Texas friend Snuff Garrett was installed as a senior producer at Liberty. Allison, with Sonny Curtis and another former Holly sideman, Tommy Allsup
Tommy Allsup
Tommy Allsup is an American musician.He worked with entertainers such as Buddy Holly and Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys...
, became effectively members of the core the Liberty house band, working with Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee
Robert Thomas Velline , known as Bobby Vee, is an American pop music singer. According to Billboard magazine, Vee has had 38 Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.-Career:...
, Johnny Burnette
Johnny Burnette
John Joseph "Johnny" Burnette was an American rockabilly musician. Along with his older brother Dorsey Burnette, and also a friend named Paul Burlison, Burnette was a founding member of The Rock and Roll Trio. He was the father of 1980s rockabilly singer Rocky Burnette.-Early life:Johnny Burnette...
and others. In this period they also played as backing musicians on tracks by Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
and, according to some reports, Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
. Both Allison and Sonny Curtis were drafted at different times in this period, limiting any possibility of continuity in the make-up of The Crickets. Sonny Curtis also began to establish a significant solo career as a songwriter and singer/guitarist.
In the late 1970s, the band toured for a period with Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, another one-time Buddy Holly sideman. In more recent years, The Crickets have put out albums including collaborations with many artists who recognize their influence in early rock 'n' roll. These include Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
, with whom they have also toured, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. His styles include folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material...
, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Vee, and many others.