Handbill for Buddy Holly and the Crickets’ March 11, 1958, concerts at the Gaumont Theatre, Worcester, U. K. Many rock historians point to this tour of Great Britain by Buddy Holly & The Crickets as a major turning point in popular music. The British loved American rock ‘n’ roll and the personal appearance of one of their favorite groups gave young English rockers a first-hand look at how the music was actually made. Paul McCartney would later recall watching Buddy Holly perform on Sunday Night at The London Palladium television program just to see which chords Holly used and where he placed his guitar capo. The 25-date concert tour in March 1958, which included visits to seven different venues in the greater London metro area, was wildly received by fans. When the ‘British Invasion’ arrived on American shores in 1964, it was led by musicians such as Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Keith Richards and others who were forever moved by the 1958 visit of Buddy Holly and The Crickets to England. It is entirely fitting that the Rolling Stones’ first big hit was Buddy Holly & The Crickets’ ‘Not Fade Away.’ The few surviving handbills and posters from any of Holly’s tours are highly prized. Framed with this scarce handbill is a very rare original Decca Records promotional press kit photo picturing Buddy and the three original Crickets: Jerry Allison, Joe B. Mauldin and Niki Sullivan. Matted and framed to an overall size of 12.75 x 24. Central vertical and horizontal fold, other scattered folds and creases, and a few small edge chips and tears, otherwise very good condition. RRAuction COA.
