Window.FB.Event.subscribe('xfbml.render', function() (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')) In his interview, no mention is made of Jennings or Allsup being invited on the plane. Coin flips are also often used in politics in which a coin is tossed when two candidates poll an equal number of votes. According to Dion, it was Valens, not Richardson, who had fallen ill, so Valens and Dion flipped a coin for the seat.
For instance, in cricket, the toss decides who gets to bat or bowl first, whereas coin flips in tennis decide which player is given the opportunity to serve first. It is a surprise that this tradition was carried from ancient times, when superstitions reigned supreme, into modern times and is still used in numerous sports today. Though the origins of the holiday are inconsistent, the game has existed in the world since the days before technology. To celebrate this very notion, Flip a Coin Day was formed and is celebrated across the U.S. It is stories like these that have made coin tosses a helpful way for making choices. In fact, in 1903, it is a coin toss that provided Wilbur Wright with a chance to make history! Yes, the first attempt to fly was made after a simple coin flip decided whether Wilbur Wright or Orville Wright would fly first. On learning that Jennings wasn’t going to fly, Holly said Well, I hope your old bus freezes up. Allsup and Valens flipped a coin for the last seat, the coin landing heads up. For example, the singing legend Ritchie Valens lost his life after a fateful coin toss placed him in a horrifying plane crash. Richardson was running a fever at the time, so Waylon Jennings gave up his seat so the Big Bopper could ride in comfort. For many, a coin toss can decide their fate, therefore, the coin flip is seen as a way for God or a higher power to push forth his will and communicate what he feels the right choice is. Our deepest condolences go out to Tommy’s family, friends and creative collaborators.Coin flipping is one of the easiest games of chance and is often used by people to make important decisions. “The Oklahoma native and was admired by his peers and fans alike heralded by Paul McCartney as one of the finest guitar players in the world. “Tommy Allsup was one of western swing and rockabilly music’s finest,” Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “I told her in my message back, now my dad and Ritchie can finally finish the tour they started 58 years ago,” he said.Īllsup, an inductee of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, will be buried in his native Oklahoma. It could have been the other way around,” Austin Allsup said.Īustin Allsup added that Valens’ sister contacted him after his father’s death to offer her condolences. “I know my dad has talked about that many times and knew that he was very lucky to be here. Speaking to the Associated Press, Austin Allsup, a recent The Voice contestant, said his father considered his coin flip loss “a blessing.” Ritchie Valens, one of Holly’s band members, then won a coin toss to get another seat on the plane for Richardson, who had the flu. As the guitarist clarified later, Holly had Allsup’s wallet on him at the time of the crash because Holly agreed to retrieve Allsup’s mail at a Minnesota post office. How Did Ritchie Valens End Up Getting A Seat On The Plane As a result of technical difficulties with the tour bus, Holly chartered a plane to carry his band between shows on the Winter Dance Party Tour. When the plane crashed, Allsup was originally one of the five people reported dead by the Associated Press.
Waylon Jennings also avoided the plane crash after giving his seat to J.P. However, Valens, who suffered from a fear of flying, asked Allsup if he could take his spot on the plane. However, Allsup will best be remembered for the fateful “lost” coin flip resulting in the musician winning “an additional 57 years and 11 months,” as his friend Randy Steele told BBC News.Īllsup, who was touring with Holly after the two met during a recording session in 1958, was initially supposed to be on the ill-fated, Holly-charted flight from Mason City, Iowa to Fargo, North Dakota.
Over the course of a career that spanned decades, Allsup performed with artists like Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Merle Haggard and Bob Wills. “We want to continue to pray for Austin and his family and those immediately effected by his passing.” “A message from Austin’s team: Austin’s father, guitar legend and western swing icon Tommy Allsup has passed away today,” the post read. His son, Austin, confirmed Allsup’s death in a Facebook post. Tommy Allsup, the guitarist who famously avoided “the Day the Music Died” after losing his plane seat in a coin toss to Ritchie Valens, died Wednesday following complications from a hernia operation.