Chris Rees Collection

Here is a great photo taken on the tarmac of the Los Angeles airport as the tour of Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Paul Anka and Jodie Sands embark on a flight to Hawaii before continuing to Australia.

This is from January 27th, 1958 - two days after Buddy recorded "Rave On" and "That's My Desire" in New York, and one day after they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show performing "Oh Boy". On the 27th, Buddy & The Crickets flew from New York to LA, and caught flight 805 on Pan Am Airlines at 9 am. They would tour with "Lee Gordon's World Hit Parade" from January 27 - February 9th.

Buddy is to the left, with Pan Am flight bag in hand, and to his immediate right is 15-year-old Paul Anka, who headlined the bill in return for agreeing to accept less money than the others. Next to Anka, dressed in black, is Jerry Lee Lewis Trio drummer Russ Smith, waving to the camera, and Jerry Lee Lewis in the background, in a striped shirt waving. Jodie Sands can also be seen in the background.

Buddy and the others would arrive in Honolulu at 4:30 pm and perform 2 shows yet that night at 6:30 and 8pm - what a schedule!


A 5x7 print is available for $15 (includes postage & packaging) from:

C.J. Rees
51 Green Crescent
Rowner, Gosport, Hants
PO13 ODN
ENGLAND