Buddy! The Buddy Holly story, playing at Cadillac Palace, is a bright, breezy jukebox musical that really succeeds at bringing the musical genius of Buddy Holly back to life.

Although the book by Alan Janes which has run successfully for 15 years in London’s West End needs a little perking up in the opening scenes between Buddy and his manager, the show overall is still a very enjoyable and touching tribute to the original rock and roll nerd that so many young artists today owe a debt to.

The scenes that show how quickly Buddy wrote and recorded new music, incorporating tiny details like a random piano notes played impromptu by his manager’s wife during a lunch break were absolutely fascinating.

Andy Christopher stars as Buddy (alternating with Kurt Jenkins) is brilliant in this very challenging role both theatrically and musically.

Christopher doesn’t just imitate Holly or impersonate him, he becomes him.   Christopher’s voice captures all of the eclectic and subtle intricacies of Holly’s voice without moving into caricature.

Also, throughout the show I kept trying to tell if Christopher was actually playing lead guitar or if an orchestra or track was playing the leads for him. During the finale Christopher put the guitar behind his neck and played a rip-roaring solo that was impressive proof he was not only singing and acting the role but has impressive musical talent as well. I also was impressed by the enormous energy and spunk of the actors/musicians playing his band “The Crickets” Joe Cosmo Cogen and Jerry Allison.

I learned some interesting facts about Holly from this show. I did not know Holly was only 22 when he died. I did not know he married his wife Maria Elena after a whirlwind 5 hour engagement, or that while pregnant with his child, she had warned him multiple times about not going on the fateful winter tour because of visions of a “fireball in the sky” that she had experienced.

All of these interesting facts about Holly’s all too short, but pioneering and spectacular musical career make me wonder if Holly himself had some inner knowledge of his own fate that propelled him to create so much music and love in such a brief 18 month period at such a young age.

I highly recommend seeing Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story to audiences young and old who appreciate a good night of fifties rock n roll with a music history lesson thrown in about one of the greatest musical talents this country has ever seen.