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From his Baptist roots in Lubbock, Texas to the Midwestern town where Buddy Holly sang for the last time, we're traveling the path of one of music's brightest stars.

There are few musical legends who accomplished as much in a short period of time as Buddy Holly. Only 22 at the time of his death, Holly had already recorded the hits that would establish his legacy in rock 'n' roll. For true fans, a pilgrimage of sorts might be in order to trace the landmarks and milestones of this incredible man's life and career. The following itinerary will guide you from Holly's birth to "The Day the Music Died."

Lubbock, Texas
Buddy Holly was born in the Lone Star State in 1936, and many milestones of his life and music career can be found here.

Holly's High School
Lubbock High School
2004 19th Street
Holly was a member of the school choir and graduated in 1955.

An Early Holly Venue
Fair Park Coliseum
1012 Avenue A
Holly opened for Elvis Presley at the Fair Park Coliseum on February 13, 1955 and October 15, 1955.

Holly's Parents' Home
1606 39th St.
In 1958, Holly married his wife, Maria Elena, at a small ceremony in his parents' house.

The Site of Holly's Funeral
Tabernacle Baptist Church
1911 34th Street
Holly's funeral was held at the church on February 7, 1959.

Holly's Final Resting Place
City of Lubbock Cemetery
E. 34th St
Fans regularly pay their respects to one of the founders of rock 'n' roll.

The city of Lubbock has also taken many steps to memorialize one of their most famous citizens and you'll find the Buddy Holly Center, which is dedicated to music and arts programs, at 1801 Crickets Avenue as well as bronze statue of the legend at Avenue Q and 8th Avenue.

Clovis, New Mexico
Frustrated with the music industry, Buddy Holly and his band, the Crickets, headed to New Mexico to record songs at the Norman Petty Studios. While Holly and Petty certainly had their differences later (many people think Petty's unfair handling of the group's finances led Holly to sign up for the Winter Dance Party Tour), the original studio still exists where Holly recorded such favorites as "That'll Be the Day."

A Holly Recording Studio
Norman Petty Studios
1313 West Seventh Street
"That'll Be the Day"
If you would like a tour of the studios, be sure to call at least one month in advance to arrange one. The studio is not regularly open to the public.

New York, New York
After splitting with Petty and his band, who all wanted to stay in Lubbock, Holly decided to give live in New York a try. Here are a few of the spots important to Holly at the time:

A Holly Tour Venue
Apollo Theater
253 W 125 St.
Harlem
One of Buddy Holly and the Crickets' first tours took them to the Apollo Theater in Harlem where the booking agents assumed the group was black because of their sound. In the course of their shows from August 16 – August 22, 1957, the group eventually managed to win over the crowd.

One of Holly's Record Companies
Peer-Southern Music
810 7th Avenue
Peer-Southern is responsible for getting Holly signed by Coral Records, and a visit to the New York office in the summer of 1958 is how Holly met his future wife, Maria Elena, a receptionist in the building.

Holly's New York Residence
The Brevoort
4H 11 Fifth Avenue
The New York apartment was the home of Holly and his wife as well as a makeshift recording studio for Holly. He recorded "Peggy Sue Got Married" and "Crying" in the living room.

Clear Lake, Iowa
There isn't much to this Midwestern town, but those familiar with Holly's life know the name "Clear Lake" all too well. Here, in a club decorated to mimic the beach, Holly gave his last performance on February 2, 1959. Shortly after the show, he boarded the now infamous and ill-fated charter plane. The later crash killed Holly, Richie Valens, the Big Bopper and the plane's pilot.

The Site of Holly's Last Show
Surf Ballroom
460 North Shore Drive
A few miles from the Surf, you'll find a fan-made memorial at the actual site of the crash.