Tommy Allsup Has Died

Tommy Allsup (above, right, with Buddy Holly), who worked with Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison and the Ventures died yesterday at the age of 85 in Springfield, Missouri after complications from hernia surgery.  Allsup was touring with Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson when he lost a coin toss with Valens for a seat on the plane that crashed on February 3, 1959, killing Holly, Valens and Richardson.

Allsup played guitar on Holly's "It's So Easy", "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers, "Dead Man's Curve" by Jan & Dean, and "Lucille" by the Everly Brothers, among others.