The Big Bopper
(1930-1959)
Jiles Perry Richardson was born October 24, 1930 in Sabine Pass, Texas.
The family moved to Port Arthur when Jiles was still very young.
After high school, Jiles decided to attend Lamar State College in Beumont,
Texas. While attending Lamar, Jiles found a job as a disc jockey
and singer on the local radio station KTRM. Jiles coined his own
stage name, "The Big Bopper," while working at the station. 
On
April 18, 1952, The Big Bopper married Adrian Joy Fryon. Together,
they would have one daughter which they named Deborah. In the May
of 1957, Jiles established a world record for continuous broadcasting by
working six straight days and spinning 1,821 records. During his
tenure at KTRM, Jiles decided to write a few songs. Before long,
he was discovered by Harold "Pappy" Daily. In 1957, Jiles released
his most popular work, "Chantilly Lace," which became the third most played
song of 1958. Jiles was overwhelmed with tour offers and decided
to take them. His last tour, the Winter Dance Party of 1959, was
scheduled to play in remote locations throughout the midwest United States.
The tour headlined with the likes of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The
Big Bopper (Jiles). The three musicians and their bands toured in
a run down bus with a poor heating system. Because of these terrible
circumstances, Jiles became ill with the flu. When the tour rolled
into Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly chartered a plane to fly him and his
band to the next tour stop after the show. When the show ended, Jiles
approached Buddy's bassist, Waylon Jennings, 
and
asked for Jennings' seat on the plane so that Jiles could get some rest
and have time to schedule a doctors appointment. Waylon agreed and
gave his seat to Jiles. The plane took off from Mason City Airport
around 1:00 a.m. on February 3, 1959. The terrible winter weather
was a nuisance for the pilot, and the plane plummeted to the ground 8 miles
after it's takeoff. The crash left no survivors. Jiles, Ritchie,
Buddy, and their pilot, Roger Peterson were all killed in the accident.
The Big Bopper was dead at 28 years old, leaving behind a wife pregnant
with their second child, Jay, and a never ending legacy. Jay would
be born eighty-four days after his father's death. Jiles' body was
flown back to Beumont by a private plane to be buried. After his
funeral, the streets were lined with fans watching the procession of cars
heading towards the cemetery. Jiles Perry Richardson was buried on
February 5, 1959.
Hear "Chantilly Lace" 
A Discography of the Big Bopper
The
Big Bopper's Grave Site
Join
"The Unofficial Big Bopper Fan Club"
See
"The Unofficial Big Bopper Fan Club Listing"
See the Old Listing
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Last updated: 2/20/03
