American rock Building Sound and the polished production values of soul, have been seen as influencing the Merseybeat sound, particularly the early work of The Beatles, and through them and others the form of later rock music. Some historians of music have also pointed to important and innovative technical developments that built on rock and roll in this period, particularly the Wall of Sound pursued by Phil Spector. Commentators have traditionally perceived a decline of rock and roll in the late 1950s and early 1960s. By 1959, the death of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens in a plane crash,
Buddy Holly: Listen to Me; The Ultimate Buddy Party Others, such as Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Jackson Browne, shared memories via video message. Buddy's widow Maria Elena Holly, seated beside Phil Everly was in attendance, singing along with every song. The event was also filmed for a PBS pledge drive special featured throughout USA during December 2011 and May/June 2012. Buddy Holly: Listen to Me; The Ultimate Buddy Party Buddy Holly: Listen to Me; The Ultimate Buddy Party is a recording of the event held on September 7, 2011, to celebrate on would have been Buddy Holly's 75th birthday Buddy's birthday, while supporting fundraising for PBS. Produced by Songmasters,