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This is a great collection. For all those Holly fans who've been waiting for a comprehensive package to match the shear greatness of the 1979 LP cpllection, this is your reward.

I highly recommend this collection. The book that comes with the cd's has many interesting anecdotes I hadn't heard before. The studio cuts on it are fun to hear.

The long-awaited comprehensive remastered CD release of Buddy's work has arrived at last. We can hear (almost) everything Buddy recorded. The music's great, as we always knew it was. Wonderful, right? Not quite. First, as others have commented, many of us have spent quite a lot of money on the earlier packages (having not been told that a complete set was on the way) and spending $100 plus on what are mostly duplicates of what we already have isn't a good deal. Second, whoever picked the running order of these tracks was too obsessed with pleasing the completists to give proper consideration to producing a package that would be pleasant to listen to. While I find it interesting to listen occasionally to alternate tracks and false starts, for the most part I want to listen to the best version of each song. This collection simply doesn't allow me to do that- and I don't expect to buy a box set just so that I can burn my own CDs. Otherwise, we are faced with 3 takes of 'Gone" followed by three takes of 'Have You Ever Been Lonely', for example, or a rehearsal and three takes of 'Mona'. I defy anyone to tell me that when they put on a CD they want to listen to 4 versions of the same song, as a general rule. This could easily have been overcome by putting the best undubbed versions of each song on a couple of CDs, the best dubbed versions on another 2 CDs and the outtakes, false starts and rehearsals on the third two CDs. The completists would have been happy and we'd have got music that was a pleasure to listen to. Don't get me wrong, Buddy Holly is among my favorite artists and it's great that after all these years his music is at last available on CD as it was meant to be heard. It's just that it could have been so much better for the listener.

Ok. Remember that 6lp box set that cam out in the late 70's? It was called "The Complete Buddy Holly." Now for years I have been looking high and low for that thing until I stopped in a record shop in the Village in NYC and there it was, a UK pressing with Norman Petty's autograph on the inside. I think that was 1997 maybe 1996, but I am digressing. It had almost everything Buddy Holly committed to tape with radio jingles and Buddy Holly producing other acts. It was at the time the most comprehensive collection of a rock and roll star at the time. The once it went out of print it was gone. Now comes "Not Fade Away: The Complete Studio Recordings and More" a 6 CD box set from Hip-O-Select. This set contains all the hit recordings, re-recordings, un-dubbed and re-dubbed recordings that were released during and after Buddy Holly's short life. There are also home "wire" recordings from a 14-year-old Buddy recording in the Holley family home. The Garage Tapes and Apartment Tapes are here also. Everything here has been sonically upgraded apart from the earliest home recordings. Overall, just from a historical standpoint it is an important document of the development and eventual exploited musical artist. You will be pleasantly surprised at the improvement, especially with the Nashville and Clovis tapes. If you have not bought the previous 2 collections "Down The Line" and "Memorial Collection" than this would be the better choice. Not everything that could be here is for whatever reason but be glad that what survives is still available. The package reminds me of a high school yearbook from the 50's containing an 80-page book with recording notes and pictures. The CD's are in a fold out display similar the Big Star box set. Not surprisingly, this box set had caused some controversy just as the 1979 release did but it what is. If you just want the hits than get, the "Memorial Collection" if you want more than that, get this.

I don't know about casual listeners or newcomers to Buddy Holly, but to someone who has lived with and loved Holly's music from the original vinyls to the 6 LP set and on through the jungle of bootlegs, this box is a dream come true. It would be enough that the sound is so clear and the collection so near to complete. But the accompanying booklet opened the listening experience into new directions. At last one can make sense of the chronology, so therefore the artistic development, of Buddy Holly's music. The talent is always there, but check out the jump in confidence in BH's voice and delivery between the last of the garage tapes and his redo over in Clovis of Brown-Eyed Handsome Man (Disc 2, track 26). Something magical happened there, and with the book to reference, one can pinpoint (arguably!) the full blooming of the Holly sound to somewhere between December 1956 and January 1957. For me, this set was full of such discoveries. Yes, the Memorial Collection and Rarities sets were quite fine (I didn't mind buying them -- how many more Holly purchases could be out there?), but for a full run of undubbed Buddy and Bob(with the overdubs to which to compare them), here they all are, on the box. Same goes for the garage tapes. Have you heard the Fireballs' overdubs too many times from your old albums? Listen to J.I's manic drums in the clean versions, alternates et al. You'll come away with your love of these cuts renewed. What about the mono vs. stereo debate on the Pythean Temple tracks? They're all here -- decide for yourself. That said, there are a few omissions that would have made the box more complete. The undubbed Words of Love has just as good a sound quality as It's Too Late and Send Me Some Lovin' and is probably a more intriguing revisit. There's about a minute floating around of Buddy singing live to Jerry Lee Lewis' piano accompaniment (I believe they were on tour together in Australia), and one can only wish that more of that collaboration were recorded -- they really do jibe. Do we now have all the apartment tapes? I think not -- I'm pretty sure an alternate of Smokey Joe's Cafe exists. Anything else? There's also lots more interview material, and all those backup sessions for others (hopefully one day his session with Carolyn Hester will surface), but as for most of this backup work, I for one breathed a sigh of relief that the compilers of the box left it off. Also, the reviewer who pointed out the wobbly-sounding cut used of the undubbed You're the One is correct -- it sounds better in other places, including the Memorial Collection. It would be nice if someone put out a supplement to the box that fills in these holes, the way Charly's Jerry Lee Lewis: the Alternate Collection did for the Jerry Lee Bear Family box several years ago. But this is such a small drop in the overall flood of reward and pleasure that is this box. It is just wonderful to have.

Reviews

The album has all of Buddy's biggest hits; however, it also has a lot of songs that I have never heard of and were not very good. If your intention is to use the album to extract the great songs for use on an MP3 player or Ipod, this album is a great source. Listening to the album from start to finish is really tedious, because of all of the superfluous songs on it.

What can I say about Buddy Holly that has not already been stated? This is a terrific collection of his work. It sounds great and the price is damn good. I would not hesitate to buy this item again. A great bargain.

For some reason, I feel like the only 19 year old that appreciates the classic music from the 50's. I think Buddy Holly is an awesome singer! So far, my favorite songs are That'll Be The Day, Not Fade Away, and It's So Easy! If you are a Holly fan, you'll love BUDDY HOLLY GOLD!!!

Texas Poker Wisdom I just finished a ton of research on Buddy Holly, whom I knew. He had a radio show, performances, and tons of recording right here in Lubbock. I just wrote an article, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Joe Ely and the Cotton Club, available at www.virtualubbock.com Some of hese recordings were done at the radio stations that allowed Buddy and his pals the run of the joint. Lubbock really supported Buddy! Elvis did too! Johnny Hughes

Was Buddy Holly just a white man's Bo Diddley? Sure, Holly's rhythms at times use the Bo Diddley beat, but to be fair his most popular tune of that type was "Not Fade Away," a song written by others which was covered by many white musicians including the Rolling Stones, who played up the beat even more. To appreciate how much Holly himself contributed to music, imagine if Guitar Hero or Rock Band had a Buddy Holly version. Imagine playing "Peggy Sue" or "That'll Be the Day" or "Oh Boy!" with your kids! Those songs have so much life, so much energy and, in the case of "That'll Be Day" (and "Maybe Baby") such slyly intricate rhythms it's hard to think of anything that fun to play written today. But I digress. This Holly collection is a great assortment of Holly's best, and includes many tunes you never hear that are just as good as those three big hits. "True Love Ways" and "Early in the Morning" are two examples. My only beef is that this set doesn't have "Baby Let's Play House."

Reviews

20th Century Masters: The Best Of Buddy Holly (Millennium Collection) takes the "best of" Buddy Holly and has the audacity to cut and paste it into a mere twelve tracks. These twelve songs are wonderful music by Buddy Holly; but by no means is this a legitimate "Best of" collection. The title is rather misleading; and I dislike that. However, the sound quality is as good as the music; and the artwork is about par for this CD series. The CD starts with "That'll Be The Day;" this was a huge hit for Buddy and he sings and plays this up right! The guitar is awesome and Buddy sings this brilliantly. Buddy's voice is rather fine; his excellent diction also bolsters his performance. It's all very impressive. "Words Of Love" has Buddy doing a slightly less rocking tune but it still holds its own very well. The music is beautiful and I really like "Words Of Love." Moreover, listen for the high energy "Peggy Sue;" Buddy sings this like the pro he always was and there's no wonder why this became a hit for Buddy. I love it! "Everyday" puts Buddy firmly into the spotlight as he sings a tender, sweet love ballad; the percussion enhances the natural beauty of this ballad and Buddy never misses a beat! I always liked "Everyday" and I predict that you'll like it, too. "Maybe Baby" has a great flavor to it; Buddy delivers this with just the right amount of rock to keep this baby shining brightly! "Maybe Baby" also sports an excellent guitar arrangement. "It's So Easy" is another major highlight of this CD; the guitars work great and this is truly great music for dancing! Buddy and his buddies do this to perfection--and beyond! "True Love Ways" is a softer rock ballad that has a more traditional arrangement complete with strings to accompany Buddy as he sings this charming number. The album ends very nicely with Buddy performing "It Doesn't Matter Any More." "It Doesn't Matter Any More" again proves just how great and special Buddy really was. Unfortunately, Buddy's talents are precisely the reason why this twelve track CD can't cut it at all as a "best of" compilation. What nerve they had! I will take off two stars to make this a three star review--actually, I suppose it's a one or two star "best of" CD because it's too brief. Buddy's artistry, however, would easily deserve five stars. Too bad I can't give Buddy more than five stars! Overall, I agree with the reviewer who writes that anyone wanting a Buddy Holly CD would do well to actually consider a two CD set. It would be tough for a single CD to capture all of Buddy's greatest work. The Buddy Holly Collection is a two CD set with fifty tracks; and despite the extra money it costs that two CD set is certainly well worth it.

this is a great collection all of hollys biggest hits in one tight package of great music.however if your looking for more than just 40 min and want a bigger one disc retrospective then this is not for you. but if your looking for just the biggest hits or an intro to get you ready for the two disc collection then this fits your needs

If you remember Buddy Holly's songs on the radio, you'll be very pleased with this collection. All his hits, come through with great clearity. You'll appreciate not only the background rythm and music that come through on every song, but it really shows how far Buddy's music could have gone had that tragic flight not taken him away so young. This is a must have for any oldies collection. From Oh boy through Think It Over to True Love Ways, You won't be disappointed.

Very nice small collection for those who don't know much about this singer's short but very influential career!

I'll Rave On about how wonderful Buddy Holly's work was and how delightful this collection is. He was a one of the Pioneers of Rock & Roll and no doubt influenced countless artists along the way. In early 1965 the Beatles did "Words of Love," as a nod to this incredibly talented man. Don't just take our word for it - just get this collection!

Reviews

After being out of print for many years, it's nice to see this book available again. Meticulously researched, with a lot of factual asides that make it genuinely interesting to read even for people who are already "in the know". Lots of interesting details, anecdotes, and coincidences - a few of which are downright eerie. But as I read this book, I kept asking basic questions about the New York tour "organizers". The people who actually put the Winter Dance Party together only make vague, shadowy appearances in this book. Only one name is mentioned, to my recollection. In a book this detailed, I thought it was odd that there were no direct interviews with anybody who either worked on the tour or knew of people who did. We know about the converted school buses with poor heating. What is never mentioned is why such crappy buses were leased for a tour of nationally known musical acts in the first place. Nor do we gain any insight into why obvious problems were never addressed on the tour when they arose. And what was with that crazy zig-zagging approach to visiting the cities and towns of the upper midwest? I know we're supposed to assume that the tour operators were working on the cheap, but is that the whole story? Because it seems to me that going 400 miles out of your way to stop at one city only to do a U-turn and then drive 300 miles in the opposite direction the very next day would rack up many unnecessary expenditures. So if money wasn't the only issue, what was? Mr. Lehmer never really broaches the subject; he seems to dance around it. We do learn about what brand of aspirin the Big Bopper carried around in his briefcase, however. This is no small point; it seems to me that the tour operation itself is at the epicenter of this entire story. One could reasonably make the argument that if the tour were well organized and equipped from the get-go, the tragedy of February 3rd might well have been avoided. I wonder if any of the tour operators felt any sense of remorse over this. We'll never know. Those questions notwithstanding, I enjoyed Mr. Lehmer's book. It's clear that he put a lot of hard work into this, and "The Day The Music Died" is a very interesting account of the Winter Dance Party tour and its aftermath. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest. PS - As this book was first published in 1994, the "Where Are They Now?" chapter is seriously outdated. I don't fault the author for this of course, but an updated edition of this book might be worthwhile at some point.

The Day the Music Died is quite frankly, to date, the most touching, comprehensive, detailed and complete account of the ill-fated Winter Dance Party tour that Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and J.P.(The Big Bopper) Richardson embarked on in January 1959, which resulted in the well known plane crash that took their lives, as well as that of the young pilot, Roger Peterson. It tells the story of each of the singers--wildly popular Buddy Holly, age 22, young Richie Valens, who was touring with his chart topping hit, Oh, Donna, and the Big Bopper, of Chantilly Lace fame. The Winter Dance Party tour became a grueling road trip from hell, as the singers were booked on ancient (even for 1959!) buses that broke down, had no heat, and allowed for little or no rest in-between gigs. Author Larry Lehmer has done an outstanding job of recounting the trip with a comprehensive view of the individuals involved. It gives an excellent feel for the personalities and the events involved, particularly for someone like me who was only a couple of months old at the time of the crash. There are several excellent bios of Holly and Valens out there, and they also do a good job in recounting the entire lives; The Day the Music Died concentrates on the Winter Dance Party and the crash and discusses the various theories involved as to what caused it. The author has done an amazing job of capturing the essence of the persons involved, as well as the sequence of events leading up to The Day the Music Died.

"The Day The Music Died: The Last Tour Of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens"details the Winter Dance Party, which unfortunately was marked by the plane crash that killed these three stars plus the pilot, Roger Peterson. Not only is "The Day The Music Died" a narrative on the tours, especially a tour in out-of-the-way spots in 1959, it provides a lot of details on the plane crash. The book would not only interest fans of Holly, Valens and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) but pilots and anyone interested in aviation. It also follows up with other people connected to the three musicians and their later lives as well as the legacy left by Holly, Valens and Richardson. The books is an intriguing look at a late 1950s rock tour, and more importantly, a terrible tragedy in the history of rock 'n' roll.

Excellent reading. Interesting twist with wild theories after the crash. The theories were hard to believe after reading the stories about three very young men trying to make a living on the road. The reality of the severe upper midwest winters creates a whole batch of travel woes. Only a promoter from a milder climate would have mapped out the treacherous Winter Dance Party tour. The crisscrossing, zigzagging itinerary on sub-par busses...makes me shiver just to think about it. I read the book because I am a great Bobby Vee fan. I couldn't put the book down!!!!!

This is such a great book. I really enjoyed reading it. It tells Buddy, Ritchie and J.P.'s story in a very interesting and easy to follow book. I would recommend this book to any Buddy fan. Five stars!

Reviews

This is an excellent book to own, if you are a Buddy Holly fan. Very fast reading. You will not want to put this book down. Black & white photos. The best photos were put in this book. You will have to remember back when Buddy was popular, and remember it was black & white photos. Makes you wonder, what his music would sound like now. I can only imagine. He paved the way for all music now.

Larry Lehmer's hardcover book entitled "The Day the Music Died" gives a very detailed review of the ill-fated Winter Dance Party in which Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. Richardson, aka "The Big Bopper" took part. If you would like to read a more concise version of these three singers I would strongly suggest you buy a copy of the paperback copy of "Behind the Music: The Day the Music Died." This book contains 122 pages and includes numerous pictures of the singers in addition to the crash site. Comments from family members and those who were close to the singers make up the prose of the book leading to accuracy in what they say. I read the book in three sittings. Make sure you have time when you sit down to read it because you will want to continue. I intend to order numerous additional copies to give as gifts to friends. Many thanks to authors Martin Huxley and Quinton Skinner for putting the book together.

For my recent birthday, my mom bought me a copy of this book. She didn't want to spend too much, and although I was skeptical at first, I actually enjoyed it. I was very surprised at how well the text flowed, considering there is just so much separate commentary throughout the course of it. As strange as it may seem, this event just fascinates me, and this book was a good source of information. ....