We are in Lubbock taking a rest for a few days on an extended rv trip. Today we ran across the Buddy Holly Center. I didn’t know Buddy Holly was from Lubbock. But I do now. I also didn’t know that he looked eerily like my son in law. But now that I have seen it. I can’t unsee it.

I think that is what caught my eye. All of the murals of Buddy spread across Lubbock look like my son in law. They would look even more alike if he wore big black glasses. Maybe it is the long face and the big brown eyes, but holy moley…it is a little uncanny.

And so, we stop at the center. First I sing a verse or two of American Pie to get myself ready. Then I sing a little medley of Holly tunes on the way in the building. The main exhibit has a lot of memorabilia. Guitars and lyrics line the cases. There are records and tour set lists. Hits like “Peggy Sue” and “That’ll be the Day” play throughout the museum.

It is fun to think of Buddy Holly and Crickets as teenagers. Even at their height, they were a teenage garage band. It seems like the boys had fun and more importantly, they had real talent.

The house of one of the band members sits next to the museum. It is open to museum guests. With our guide, we walk into the bedroom where hits were born. It seems easy to imagine the boys crowded around the piano, writing and trying out potential lyrics. Physical artifacts always make things seem more real. But mostly, I am a parent whose teenage son was in a band. I remember the excitement and silliness that emanated from kids full of creativity and dreams. They were so young.

At age 22, Holly died in a plane crash along with Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. It was a tragic end to a rising star. A tragic accident in a winter storm ended a legend. Or maybe it created one.

Holly is credited with influencing the trajectory of rock and roll. Musicians like Dylan, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones all say Holly heavily influenced their sound.

As I stand in the memorial garden I think about how a short life can have such a big impact. But mostly, I can’t stop thinking about how much Buddy Holly looks like my son in law. Weird.