The Last Rock and Roll Show

February 3rd, 1959 At 1AM, a Cadillac is stolen in Clear Lake, Iowa. Unknown to the thief, a set of tapes lie hidden in the trunk. Five days later in Los Angeles, a drag race will decide the fate of Buddy Holly's final recording. Will the music live . . . or die?

This story begins "the day the music died". It's just like riding shotgun in a 1950s whodunit. You can smell the fuel burning, quench your thirst with an ice cold Coca-Cola, and feel the raw power of that classic Detroit muscle. The Last Rock and Roll Show flawlessly blends the details of the fateful night we lost some of rock's true pioneers with an original tale of teenage dreams both tragic and triumphant. This is the kind of historical fiction music fans live for.

Danny White has always kept a common thread between his work and his passions. A musician who has worked with the likes of Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Alice Cooper, Nils Lofgren and many more, White is also an avid classic car enthusiast. So it is completely understandable that his new book, The Last Rock and Roll Show, would blend elements from both worlds. His first novel, The Last Rock & Roll Show, was born when White was touring Europe with fellow musician Tommy Allsup (Buddy Holly & The Crickets) a few years ago. “Tommy was asked night after night by the English and Scottish fans about the details of that final tour. One night somebody in the North of England inquired about possible bootlegs of Buddy Holly. When I heard that question, I began to think about how incredible it would’ve been if some kid had actually recorded that last show,” said White. “When I thought about the possibilities, the story just came alive.” With The Last Rock & Roll Show, White has woven the tale of Billy Daniels, a teenage fan who sneaks a portable tape recorder into Holly’s last show in Clear Lake, Iowa, on Feb. 3, 1959. The story becomes an epic of American proportions when, after the tragic plane crash that claimed the legendary rocker’s life, Daniels' car—along with the tapes—is stolen. The Last Rock & Roll Show takes readers on a high-octane chase across historic Route 66 to the streets of Southern California, where a drag race will decide the fate of Buddy Holly’s final recording. The result is as much a celebration of the allure of the 1950s muscle cars as it is a testament to the power of early rock and roll.