NUMBER 95: Buddy Holly

Talk about an influential artist. This guy influenced the Beatles, who of course influenced every other band that ever existed (not really, but it seems like it). And he did this without even reaching the age of 23, when he died in the infamous plane crash mentioned in the song "American Pie" by Don McLean that killed other musicians such as the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. Today when we hear the term "rock 'n roll" we think of heavy rockers who look tough. To think that one of the originators of this genre looked the way Buddy Holly did, with a clean-cut look, suit and tie, complete with black-rimmed glasses. Yet it is true, and he remains one of the biggest influences in rock history. When you listen to early Beatles albums like Please Please Me, you can easily pick out the Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry influence.
Holly's biggest hits were "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue", but he had many other great songs such as a great version of the constantly covered blues hit "Not Fade Away" (also covered by the Grateful Dead and the Rolling Stones). With his young, upbeat voice and blues-oriented music, Buddy Holly is the number 95 greatest artist of all-time.