Arena

Episode Synopsis

The arts series returns with four films tracing the origins of classic rock songs. The inspiration behind Buddy Holly's famous song - Peggy Sue Gerron Rackham - now runs a drainage company in Sacramento, California. Arena takes her back to Lubbock in Texas, where she went to the same high school as Holly and where her marriage to his drummer Jerry Allison inspired a second tribute, Peggy Sue Got Married (Francis Coppola's film of the same name is being shown tomorrow at 10.15pm). She tells how both songs came to be written and provides some fresh insights into Buddy Holly's tragically short career. Among the other people recalling this era is Peggy Sue's neighbour Donna Fox, who also inspired a 50s classic - Ritchie Valens's Donna.