February 25, 2005, 8:20 AM ET

Holly Celebrated With Anniversary Set

Universal Music International is prepping what it calls the definitive
audio/video collection of a lost rock'n'roll icon. Due April 25 in the
United Kingdom, "The Music of Buddy Holly and the Crickets" will boast a
DVD collecting archive footage and new interviews and a bonus 20-track
audio disc.

In North America, the DVD/CD package will be released via Universal's
Geffen label and will be titled "The Definitive Collection." At deadline
a specific release date for the region has not been confirmed.

The release marks the 50th anniversary of Holly's first appearance
opening a set of Texas shows for Elvis Presley and Bill Haley & the
Comets.

The DVD will include clips of Holly and his band performing such
well-known hits as "That'll Be the Day," "Peggy Sue," "It's So Easy,"
"Rave On" and "Maybe Baby." Also featured will be 1957-58 appearances on
"The Ed Sullivan Show."

Among the interviews are conversations with Crickets drummer Jerry
(J.I.) Allison, backing vocalists John Pickering and Ray Rush, early
Crickets bassist Joe Mauldin, and guitarists Sonny Curtis and Tommy
Allsup. It was Allsup who gave Ritchie Valens his seat on the plane that
crashed in Clear Lake, Iowa, on Feb. 2, 1959, killing him, Valens and
the Big Bopper (Jiles Perry Richardson).

Rare audio interviews with late producers Dick Jacobs and Norman Petty,
the latter also being Holly's manager, are also included on the DVD.

While the CD includes most well-known Holly songs, its track listing was
chosen by those who played, sang and wrote on or inspired the original
recordings.

Last year, Geffen issued a remastered version of Holly's first two
albums, 1957's "The 'Chirping' Crickets" and 1958's "Buddy Holly," in
conjunction with the 50th anniversary of rock'n'roll that was
spearheaded by a celebration in Memphis. Both discs were augmented by
additional tracks.

Here is the "The Music of Buddy Holly and the Crickets" bonus CD track
list:

"That'll Be the Day"
"Not Fade Away"
"Everyday"
"Peggy Sue"
"Listen to Me"
"Oh Boy"
"Send Me Some Lovin'"
"It's Too Late"
"Maybe Baby"
"Rock Me My Baby"
"Rave On"
"Well...All Right"
"Think It Over"
"Lonesome Tears"
"It's So Easy"
"Early in the Morning"
"It Doesn't Matter Anymore"
"Raining in My Heart"
"Peggy Sue Got Married"
"Crying, Waiting, Hoping"