Three Stars (song) Three Stars (song) "Three Stars" is a song written by Tommy Dee in 1959, as a tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper), who died in a plane crash earlier that year. The song was recorded by Tommy Dee with Carol Kay and first released on April 5, 1959, by Crest Records. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. The lyrics suggested the three "stars" represent the three musicians that died in the crash. A year after Eddie Cochran recorded the song, he died in a car accident on his
I've Always Been Crazy life of Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, forever immortalizing himself in rock and roll trivia. Jennings, who was years getting over the tragedy, alludes to the flight on "A Long Time Ago," singing "Don't ask me who I gave my seat to on that plane, I think you already know, I told you that a long time ago" (he also name-drops fellow outlaw Willie Nelson in the song). In the liner notes to "The Essential Waylon Jennings", Wade Jessen quotes the singer: "Buddy was the first guy to ever have faith in me as a singer. He was