Think It Over

“Think It Over” – Tribute to Buddy Holly/The Crickets
Buddy Holly was a master at writing just the right lyric and melody. He then created the perfect lead guitar and vocal performance to sell it. However, the ‘inside’ story on how Vi Petty became the lead instrumentalist, rather than Buddy, on the original hit version of “Think It Over” goes something like this: Vi Petty, Norman Petty’s wife, was working in her tomato garden when Norman, Buddy’s producer, asked her to come in and record a piano solo on Buddy’s recording. She refused several requests, opting to continue tending her tomatoes. Norman persisted. Finally, angered at being disturbed, Vi stormed into the studio and made the mud and tomato leaves fly as she pounded the keyboard, laying down her unique piano lead in one take. Out of respect for the late Vi Petty — and her garden — we decided to omit her piano instrumental lead on our Tribute version, and instead featured Jerry Matheney playing the way Buddy may have done on guitar. The Roses sang the original background vocals on this classic Buddy Holly/Crickets 1958 hit. I was honored to have The Roses (Robert Linville and David Bigham, with Kevin Bailey) in the studio with me to record this timeless tribute to the genius of Buddy Holly. Buddy touched us all!