Meredith notes he backed into a love of Holly after hearing the Beatles on his parents’ oldies stations. “The Beatles inspired me to pick up the guitar in the first place…later I discovered Buddy had been such an inspiration and hero to them. I’ve been playing Buddy’s songs 15 years now and I still find them fresh and fun. They’ve got that pure joy of rock and roll thing.”
Meredith attributes the huge success and long shelf life of the production to the power of Holly’s music as well as the unique drama surrounding Holly’s singular career. “It’s such a moving story about remarkable talent and creativity coming from this small-town kid. Coupled with the tragic ending, it’s hard not to find joy and inspiration in Buddy’s story. The trick is to keep it fresh, and with that in mind, the producer brought in some of the creative staff from the London production for this tour. They’ve made some very effective alterations that keep the show interesting and energetic.”
The two-hour performance features 20 Holly tunes including “Peggy Sue” and “Oh Boy!” as well as “La Bamba” by Richie Valens and “Chantilly Lace” by Beaumont singer The Big Bopper.
8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana. For information, call 713‑227‑4772 or visit spahouston.org. $28 to $78.
Fri., Feb. 6, 8 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 7, 2 & 8 p.m., 2015