Talons Tips and Tales from the seat of my motorcycle

Lookin' for Buddy on US HWY 60

Out in eastern New Mexico old US HWY 60 runs across the grass covered plains as far as the eye can see.  A classic two laner.  Ridin' with the wind.  Lookin' for Clovis NM on the horizon.  Why Clovis?  Heard Buddy Holly cut his records there.

Stop for gas in Vaughn, NM.  Old stations resting along the road.  Been a while since they have been pumping gas here.

In Fort Sumner meet Derk from Canada.  Both of us looking for gas.  He's been on the road for two months zig-zaging across the US.  "Been in some really F@#%ing  bad weather, F@#%ing wind, F@#%ing rain...but sure having a F@#%ing good time".  So few words, so many meanings.

 Kickstand down in Clovis.  No wif-fi last night.  Morning breakfast at the Foxy Drive-In.  Three generations of the same family since 1958.  Heard Buddy Holly hung out here.  Must be getting close.

Just down the street from the Foxy spot the Norman Petty Recording Studio.  Meet Shirley and Ken Broad.  They promised Norman and Vi Petty to keep the original spirit of the studio alive and intact.

Walking into the studio is a step back into the 50's.  This is not a museum.  Feels like Buddy just finished a session.

If only the mike could talk.  What a story to tell.  Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, Roy Orbison, The Roses, Bobby Vee, The Fireballs.  All their music filling the studio.

Keyboards ringing out Peggy Sue.  Fender Stratocaster guitars filling the air with rock and roll.

Buddy Holly's original Fender amp.  How many gigs it traveled to.  How many fans yelled, screamed, and danced to the music it shared.

Norman Petty recorded it all on original reel to reel tape decks.  Single track recordings.  Complete takes.  No edits. 

David Bingham of The Roses sitting in the control booth.  He sang and played with Buddy and many of the best in the country.  So many stories he shared.

Down a narrow hallway, behind the studio, a small apartment with kitchen. Norman wanted all the recording artists to feel comfortable.  To be able to relax after a session.  Recording was done from around midnight to sunrise.  Why, no traffic on the streets.  Only the sounds of real rock and roll coming from the studio.

In search of Peggy Sue.  Found it all in Clovis NM along a two lane highway called US HWY 60. New Mexico's best-kept secret.  Norman Petty's recording studio home of the "Clovis Sound".

Headin' west from Clovis back to Santa Fe.  Open road.  Peggy Sue ringing in my ears.  Only in New Mexico.

be strong, be safe, Talon