Big Bopper

Recognized among the trio of influential rock figures lost in the fateful 1959 aircraft disaster near Clear Lake, Iowa—which also took Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens—the Big Bopper, originally Jiles Perry Richardson, had recently risen to prominence in rock music thanks to his energetic "Chantilly Lace." Hailing from Texas, he spent his formative years in Beaumont, where he adopted the name Jape. His entry into the entertainment industry came via a disc jockey role at KTRM radio, the station at which he originated his Big Bopper moniker. Starting his recording career with Mercury in 1957, the following year saw his lively baritone propel "Chantilly Lace," his biggest commercial success, onto popular music charts, alongside the similarly boisterous "Big Bopper's Wedding." Among his songwriting credits are "White Lightning," which became a major country success for George Jones, and "Running Bear," Johnny Preston's chart-topping hit.