Tommy Douglas Allsup
Tommy Douglas Allsup (November 24, 1931 – January 11, 2017) was an American rockabilly and swing musician.[1][2]
Personal life[edit]
Allsup was born near Owasso, Oklahoma in 1931[3] and was an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation. Allsup had a son, Austin, who is also a musician.[4][5]
Career[edit]
Allsup worked with entertainers such as Buddy Holly[4] and Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. Allsup was touring with Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson when he lost a fateful coin toss with Valens for a seat on the plane that crashed, killing Valens, Holly, Richardson, and the pilot on February 3, 1959. Allsup moved to Los Angeles, played with local bands, and did session work, including a songwriting credit for The Ventures‘, “Guitar Twist”.[6] (aka “Driving Guitars”)
He returned to Odessa, Texas, where he worked with Ronnie Smith, Roy Orbison, and producer Willie Nelson.[5] In 1968, he moved to Nashville, where he did session work and produced Bob Wills‘, 24 Great Hits by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.
In 1979, he started a club, “Tommy’s Heads Up Saloon”, in Dallas. The club was named for Allsup’s coin toss with Valens 20 years beforehand.[7]
He died on January 11, 2017, at 85 years old in a hospital in Springfield, Missouri after complications from hernia surgery.[1][8] [9]
See also[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- Lehmer, Larry (2004). The day the music died: the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. Music Sales Group. ISBN 0-8256-7287-2.
- Patterson, R (2004). Take a Walk on the Dark Side: Rock and Roll Myths, Legends, and Curses. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-4423-0.
References[edit]
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Friend: Allsup, guitarist who toured with Holly, used life after coin flip ‘for good’ | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal”. Lubbock Online. 1959-02-03. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- Jump up^ “We are sadden by the news that Tommy… – Buddy Holly Center”. Facebook. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- Jump up^ “Tommy Allsup, guitarist who backed Buddy Holly, Kenny Rogers and others, dies at 85”. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Jammin’ in the new year — big concerts hit Waco this weekend”.
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Rockabilly, country music guitar great Tommy Allsup dies at age 85”.
- Jump up^ Del Halterman (2009). Walk-Don’t Run – The Story of the Ventures. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0-557-04051-3.
- Jump up^ Larry Lehmer (2004). The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. Music Sales Group. ISBN 978-0-8256-7287-3.
- Jump up^ “Guitarist Who Won Music’s Most Famous Coin Flip Is Dead”.
- Jump up^ “Rockabilly, country music guitarist great Tommy Allsup Dies at 85”. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
External links[edit]
- Online biography
- Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame—Tommy Allsup
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture – Allsup, Tommy
- Voices of Oklahoma interview with Tommy Allsup. First person interview conducted with Tommy Allsup on September 8, 2011. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.
- Tommy Allsup – MyBestYears.com INTERVIEW SPOTLIGHT
- [1]
- 1931 births
- 2017 deaths
- Cherokee people
- People from Owasso, Oklahoma
- Musicians from Oklahoma
- American rockabilly guitarists
- American male guitarists
- Native American musicians
- Western swing performers
- American record producers
- People from Odessa, Texas
- Grammy Award winners
- American country guitarists
Tommy Douglas Allsup (November 24, 1931 – January 11, 2017) was an American rockabilly and swing musician.[1][2]
Personal life[edit]
Allsup was born near Owasso, Oklahoma in 1931[3] and was an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation. Allsup had a son, Austin, who is also a musician.[4][5]
Career[edit]
Allsup worked with entertainers such as Buddy Holly[4] and Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. Allsup was touring with Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson when he lost a fateful coin toss with Valens for a seat on the plane that crashed, killing Valens, Holly, Richardson, and the pilot on February 3, 1959. Allsup moved to Los Angeles, played with local bands, and did session work, including a songwriting credit for The Ventures‘, “Guitar Twist”.[6] (aka “Driving Guitars”)
He returned to Odessa, Texas, where he worked with Ronnie Smith, Roy Orbison, and producer Willie Nelson.[5] In 1968, he moved to Nashville, where he did session work and produced Bob Wills‘, 24 Great Hits by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.
In 1979, he started a club, “Tommy’s Heads Up Saloon”, in Dallas. The club was named for Allsup’s coin toss with Valens 20 years beforehand.[7]
He died on January 11, 2017, at 85 years old in a hospital in Springfield, Missouri after complications from hernia surgery.[1][8] [9]
See also[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- Lehmer, Larry (2004). The day the music died: the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. Music Sales Group. ISBN 0-8256-7287-2.
- Patterson, R (2004). Take a Walk on the Dark Side: Rock and Roll Myths, Legends, and Curses. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-4423-0.
References[edit]
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Friend: Allsup, guitarist who toured with Holly, used life after coin flip ‘for good’ | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal”. Lubbock Online. 1959-02-03. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- Jump up^ “We are sadden by the news that Tommy… – Buddy Holly Center”. Facebook. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- Jump up^ “Tommy Allsup, guitarist who backed Buddy Holly, Kenny Rogers and others, dies at 85”. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Jammin’ in the new year — big concerts hit Waco this weekend”.
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Rockabilly, country music guitar great Tommy Allsup dies at age 85”.
- Jump up^ Del Halterman (2009). Walk-Don’t Run – The Story of the Ventures. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0-557-04051-3.
- Jump up^ Larry Lehmer (2004). The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. Music Sales Group. ISBN 978-0-8256-7287-3.
- Jump up^ “Guitarist Who Won Music’s Most Famous Coin Flip Is Dead”.
- Jump up^ “Rockabilly, country music guitarist great Tommy Allsup Dies at 85”. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
External links[edit]
- Online biography
- Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame—Tommy Allsup
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture – Allsup, Tommy
- Voices of Oklahoma interview with Tommy Allsup. First person interview conducted with Tommy Allsup on September 8, 2011. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.
- Tommy Allsup – MyBestYears.com INTERVIEW SPOTLIGHT
- [1]
- 1931 births
- 2017 deaths
- Cherokee people
- People from Owasso, Oklahoma
- Musicians from Oklahoma
- American rockabilly guitarists
- American male guitarists
- Native American musicians
- Western swing performers
- American record producers
- People from Odessa, Texas
- Grammy Award winners
- American country guitarists
(November 24, 1931 – January 11, 2017) was an American rockabilly and swing musician.[1][2]
Personal life[edit]
Allsup was born near Owasso, Oklahoma in 1931[3] and was an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation. Allsup had a son, Austin, who is also a musician.[4][5]
Career[edit]
Allsup worked with entertainers such as Buddy Holly[4] and Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. Allsup was touring with Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson when he lost a fateful coin toss with Valens for a seat on the plane that crashed, killing Valens, Holly, Richardson, and the pilot on February 3, 1959. Allsup moved to Los Angeles, played with local bands, and did session work, including a songwriting credit for The Ventures‘, “Guitar Twist”.[6] (aka “Driving Guitars”)
He returned to Odessa, Texas, where he worked with Ronnie Smith, Roy Orbison, and producer Willie Nelson.[5] In 1968, he moved to Nashville, where he did session work and produced Bob Wills‘, 24 Great Hits by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.
In 1979, he started a club, “Tommy’s Heads Up Saloon”, in Dallas. The club was named for Allsup’s coin toss with Valens 20 years beforehand.[7]
He died on January 11, 2017, at 85 years old in a hospital in Springfield, Missouri after complications from hernia surgery.[1][8] [9]
See also[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- Lehmer, Larry (2004). The day the music died: the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. Music Sales Group. ISBN 0-8256-7287-2.
- Patterson, R (2004). Take a Walk on the Dark Side: Rock and Roll Myths, Legends, and Curses. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-4423-0.
References[edit]
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Friend: Allsup, guitarist who toured with Holly, used life after coin flip ‘for good’ | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal”. Lubbock Online. 1959-02-03. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- Jump up^ “We are sadden by the news that Tommy… – Buddy Holly Center”. Facebook. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- Jump up^ “Tommy Allsup, guitarist who backed Buddy Holly, Kenny Rogers and others, dies at 85”. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Jammin’ in the new year — big concerts hit Waco this weekend”.
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Rockabilly, country music guitar great Tommy Allsup dies at age 85”.
- Jump up^ Del Halterman (2009). Walk-Don’t Run – The Story of the Ventures. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-0-557-04051-3.
- Jump up^ Larry Lehmer (2004). The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens. Music Sales Group. ISBN 978-0-8256-7287-3.
- Jump up^ “Guitarist Who Won Music’s Most Famous Coin Flip Is Dead”.
- Jump up^ “Rockabilly, country music guitarist great Tommy Allsup Dies at 85”. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
External links[edit]
- Online biography
- Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame—Tommy Allsup
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture – Allsup, Tommy
- Voices of Oklahoma interview with Tommy Allsup. First person interview conducted with Tommy Allsup on September 8, 2011. Original audio and transcript archived with Voices of Oklahoma oral history project.
- Tommy Allsup – MyBestYears.com INTERVIEW SPOTLIGHT
- [1]
- 1931 births
- 2017 deaths
- Cherokee people
- People from Owasso, Oklahoma
- Musicians from Oklahoma
- American rockabilly guitarists
- American male guitarists
- Native American musicians
- Western swing performers
- American record producers
- People from Odessa, Texas
- Grammy Award winners
- American country guitarists
