THE CRICKETS

This page consists of a few personnel notes on The Crickets whose career began in 1956 with Buddy Holly and Jerry Allison and whose last performance was at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa in February, 2016.

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The Crickets at the Surf Ballroom in February, 2009: Jerry Allison, Sonny Curtis and Joe B. Mauldin


PART ONE:  Photos from The Crickets' Final Performance.

This event took place on February 6, 2016 at the 38th annual Winter Dance Party at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa where the Crickets had performed a number of times since 1992. Many had drifted in and out of the group over the years (see PART TWO, below) and some of them reunited on this night, honoring the late Joe B. Mauldin in the Crickets' last public appearance. Unfortunately Sonny Curtis could not be present due to illness.

Click on the images below for an expanded view.

A
B
C

x x x

A: Jerry Allison – Original drummer and occasional vocalist and guitarist over the years.
B: Gordon Payne, Keith Allison (cousin of Jerry Allison), Tommy Allsup and Albert Lee.
C: The same four individuals plus guest performer Tommy Vee (son of Bobby Vee), playing his new bass. Joe Mauldin enjoyed playing Tommy's old bass at the Winter Dance Party events as seen here in 2008.
D: Gordon Payne, guest Gunnar Nelson (son of Rick Nelson) and Albert Lee.
E: Glen D. Hardin at the piano along with Steve Krikorian and guest Ar J. Stevens.
F: Steve Krikorian, better known as Tonio K.
G: Gordon Payne and Keith Allison.
H: Tommy Allsup, who frequently backed up the Crickets in the recording studio. He has also been a frequent performer at the Winter Dance Party events.
I: Here is Tommy Vee with his new bass
J: There were two sets of drums on stage – often played in well-synchronized tandem by any two of the able drummers: Jerry Allison, Jeff Vee (shown here) and Tommy Vee's son, Bennett.
x

D
E
F

x x x

G
H
I

J

x x x x



PART TWO:  An updatable list of Crickets personnel through the 1990s.

  Buddy
Holly
 
Jerry
Allison
 
Joe
Mauldin
 
Sonny
Curtis
 
Earl
Sinks
 
David
Box
 
Larry
Welborn
Niki
Sullivan
Dudley
Brooks
Ernie
Hall
  v g d (v g) b g v v v g b g (v) p g (d)
2/57 X  X          X  X     
1957 (most) X  X  X          X     
1958 (most) X  X  X               
11/58+   X  X  X  X           
11/59+   X  X  X  X        X   
2/60+   X  X  X          X   
8/60+   X  X      X        X 



  Jerry
Allison
 
Joe
Mauldin
 
Sonny
Curtis
 
Jerry
Naylor
 
Gordon
Payne
 
Glen
Hardin
 
Buzz
Cason
Doug
Gilmore
Rick
Grech
Albert Lee,
Steve Krikorian,
Nick Van Maarth
  d (v g) b g v v v g p        
9/61 X                   
3/62+ X    X  X    X         
8/64+ X    (X)  (X)    (X)  X       
1968(+?) X    X      X         
1971(+?) X    X  X        X     
1973(+?) X    X      X      X   
1974(+?) X    X            X  X 
1978(+?) X  X  X               
1988+ X  X      X           
1995+ X  X  X      X         



PART THREE:  Details of a Crickets radio special done on an alternative radio station on July 1, 2000.

 For those interested in what might be played on the various "specials" done on Rockin' John McDonald's weekly show "I Like It Like That" on WORT-FM in Madison, Wisconsin, here is an example using a Crickets special of July 1, 2000 with "Reelin' John Lindquist," occasional fill-in and guest host. As with the regular shows, note that the hits do not dominate the program over what might be otherwise significantly interesting from a singer's or group's career. (Those radio listeners interested only in the wretched "nothing but the hits" programming can go to almost any commercial oldies radio station.) The bulk of this particular show dealt with post-Holly Crickets recordings.

Oh Boy (B.Holly+Crickets)
Peggy Sue Got Married (Crickets)


Hound Dog (The Four Teens)

It's All Over (Niki Sullivan solo)
Real Wild Child ("Ivan")

Someone Someone
I Fought The Law
Time Will Tell

Till I Kissed You (Everly Bros.)
Cherished Memories (Eddie Cochran)

Baby My Heart
More Than I Can Say

Don't Cha Know

Bo Diddley
Someday
When You're In Love
Keep-a-Knockin'
(above 4 by Bobby Vee+Crickets)

He's Old Enough To Know Better
Don't Ever Change
My Little Girl

Surfin' Special
Lonely Avenue

Little Lonely Summer Girl (David Box solo)

We Gotta Get Together
I Fought The Law (Sonny Curtis solo)
Lay Lady Lay Down

Cruise In It (1978 version)

T Shirt
Three Piece

Brown-Eyed Handsome Man
Everyday
Love's Made A Fool Of You
They Call Her La Bamba
(above 4 from "Double Exposure" CD)

Too Much Monday Morning

Well...All Right (Nanci Griffith+Crickets)
Teenage Moon (JP Richardson, Jr.+Crickets)


Not Fade Away (B.Holly+Crickets)


E-mail: jlindquist 001 @ gmail.com
Last modification was made on 9/23/16 at 5:45 PM, CDT.
John Lindquist:  homepage, complete site outline.
All photos on these websites are by myself
unless otherwise indicated.