The best of Buddy Holly, reinvented
June 2nd, 2011
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[audio:https://kvnonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/RaveOnFinal.mp3]Omaha, NE – One Omaha musician who’s made a name for himself by recreating the sounds of legendary musicians is back, and this time it’s for a tribute to the late, great Buddy Holly.
In the late 1950’s, Buddy Holly and the Crickets landed onto the early scene of American Rock ‘n’ Roll, and the public noticed.

Musician Billy McGuigan (pictured here) will bring Buddy Holly's music back to the stage this weekend. (Photo courtesy Omaha Community Playhouse)
Although his success only lasted for about a year and a half before his death in 1959, Holly has defined the early chapters of Rock ‘n’ Roll history, and his influence has remained evident throughout the years.
Now, several musicians throughout the Omaha area have taken Holly’s legacy and revitalized it. At the forefront of the experience is renowned Omaha musician Billy McGuigan, who is also known for his tribute concerts to the Beatles. This time around though, he’s paying special tribute to the spectacled rock star, by starring as Holly himself.
The show is entitled Rave On: The Buddy Holly Experience, and the band seeks to recapture the aura of a classic Holly concert from the 1950’s.

Rave On: The Buddy Holly Experience opens at the Omaha Community Playhouse June 10-26. (Photo courtesy Omaha Community Playhouse)
University of Nebraska Omaha professor Darren Pettit is Musical Director for the concert. “It allows the audience to imagine what a Buddy Holly show would be like if it were put on right now,†Pettit said. “Of course, it features all of Buddy Holly’s hit songs, but also a lot of tunes that people aren’t very familiar with. It’s just a high-energy, fun show.â€
Pettit attributes the success of the performance to the program’s nature, which he says is true to Buddy Holly’s music.
“The Buddy Holly Show is not some caricature of Buddy Holly,†Pettit said. “It’s something that’s a little bit truer than that.†He added the show is successful because it’s good, and “people identify with it.†“Buddy Holly is still an American Rock ‘n’ Roll icon,†he said, and “There are not a lot of good Buddy Holly shows floating around the country.â€
Rave On: The Buddy Holly Experience will be held at the Omaha Community Playhouse, running June 10th through June 26th, Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM, and Sunday’s at 2:00 PM.
Rave on is the best tribute show I have ever seen!!! If you didn’t know
know you would swear Billy was Buddy Holly!!! He sounds so much
Like Buddy and he even does the hiccup perfect!!! It is a great
Show that you must see!!!