A classmate asked that I post the video of The Girl With The Flaxen Hair by The Shy Guys. Sadly, Gail Poch, the baritone, passed away last Aug. 31. He had just had his 80th birthday earlier in the month and was a graduate of ENMU.
He went on to teach choral music in two high schools in New Jersey and then became a professor of music at Temple University and was a talented and a good man. Had an excellent career and left a positive mark wherever he went.
Something I have not mentioned before: The guitar player on Flaxen Hair was Tommy Allsup, who recently passed away. After this recording in 1958, he stayed a few days at the Norman Petty Studios and met Buddy Holly. Buddy really liked his playing and asked him to record with him and go on tour.
Tommy did that and in February of 1959 Tommy was the one who flipped a coin with Ritchie Valens to see who would ride the plane and who would take the bus. Tommy lost and Ritchie Valens rode the plane which crashed and killed all aboard.
Tommy lived and still played some shows occasionally as a guitar player. He had a little show called “Remembering Buddy Holly.”
Tommy was a great guitar player and became a session musician in both Hollywood and Nashville He also became a record producer for Liberty Records as well as another record label.
He was 85 when he died.
