The Big Bopper

Not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Eligible since: 1984

First Recording: 1958

Previously Considered? Yes  what's this?

The Big Bopper
HALL OF FAME INDICATORS
🔲Rolling Stone 500 Albums
🔲Rolling Stone 500 Songs
🔲Rolling Stone Cover
🔲Saturday Night Live
🔲Major Festival Headliner
🔲Songwriters Hall of Fame
🔲“Big Four” Grammys
500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll

Essential Songs (?)WikipediaYouTube
Chantilly Lace (1958)

The Big Bopper @ Wikipedia

Will The Big Bopper be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
"Musical excellence is the essential qualification for induction."
Yes: 
No :


Comments

17 comments so far (post your own)

All of you must be complete MORONS to think that the Bopper is not worthy to be there!!!! He is more worthy than most that are in there!!! I think that he should be in there for Chantilly lace not to mention for all of the great songs that he wrote!!!!! And how DARE ANYONE say that
Ritchie Valens doesn't belong, if you had accomplished what he had in a mere seventeen years, I guess you would have more to do with your life than to criticize a dead kid!!!!!!!!! Please people with some sense VOTE for The Big Bopper to be in the Hall. We can not let him be forgotten. Rave On Buddy, Ritchie, and The Big Bopper!!!!

Posted by Lee Tipton on Monday, 02/4/2013 @ 23:15pm


If you support the Bopper for Hall of Fame campaign sign our petition!
http://www.petitions24.com/bopper_for_hall_of_fame

and follow us on Facebook and twitter!
https://www.facebook.com/bopperandme
https://mobile.twitter.com/bopperdoc

Posted by Bopper and Me on Sunday, 12/6/2015 @ 20:22pm


The Big Bopper was more than just a one hit wonder truth be told The Bopper recorded many many songs during his short lifetime . The Big Bopper wrote two songs that were million sellers for Johnny Preston Running Bear and country superstar George Jones White Lightning. The Big Bopper also was a program director for KTRM radio ,The Bopper had his own talent agency The Bopper also recorded the first music videos and is considered by many to be the innovator of the music video . Lastly , The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame considers the song ' Chantilly Lace " to be one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll ......

Posted by Gary Clevenger on Friday, 01/1/2016 @ 09:06am


Chantilly Lace one of the most lostned to songs of 1958
also a No 1 hit for Jerry Le Lewis and recorded and performed bu many stars including the Rolling Stones
White lightning Country musics King George Jones first No 1
also recorded by Waylon Jennings Leon Russel and more
Running Bear Johny Prestons No 1 and
Beggar To King a hit for Hank Snow and more
All of these songs were written by JP Richardson aka The Big Bopper,
He is also credidited for making the first Rock and Roll Video
and as a DJ was instrumental in Elvis Pressleys career
Also as a DJ he broke the world record spining discs
He was an inovator a genious a performer a songwriter
of course he doesnt just deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame its his god given right he desrves not only to be inducted but welcomed with open arms 2016 your year JP

Posted by john cumberland on Friday, 01/1/2016 @ 09:54am


http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/flashback-hear-the-big-boppers-original-take-on-white-lightning-20160203#ixzz3zCEHbLA1

Flashback: Hear the Big Bopper's Original Take on 'White Lightning'

George Jones' first Number One hit was written by J.P. Richardson, who died 57 years ago today in a legendary plane crash

Posted by Roy on Thursday, 02/4/2016 @ 06:07am


Difficult since he only had the one hit.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, 08/27/2018 @ 15:52pm


He also wrote Running Bear and White Lightning which were hits for other artists. I think he also had a hit with Big Bopper's Wedding.

How many hits did Ritchie Valens have and he was inducted - so the hall does make exceptions probably because of his untimely death. Influence figures strongly and I think the only thing that is holding a movement to get him inducted is that Chubby Checker not being inducted gets all the media attention. Maybe after Chubby Checker is finally inducted, J.P. Richardson will get attention.

Posted by Zuzu on Monday, 08/27/2018 @ 17:43pm


Potential singles category material

Posted by Tyler Partnow on Friday, 12/28/2018 @ 14:49pm


The Big Bopper is best known for Chantilly Lace and his "Helloooooo Baby" phrase, but he was more than just a one hit wonder. For one he did a lot more songs than just Chantilly Lace which is a good song but not the one I think of when I think of Bopper.
Songs such as Purple People Eater meets the Witch Doctor, Make a monkey out of Me, Little Red Riding Hood, That's what I'm talking about, Walking through my dreams, Big Bopper's Wedding and a talented songwriter too writing Running Bear and White Lightning for example (which he did actually record a version of by the way and in my opinion better than the Jones version)
The term "Disc Jockey" did not exist until he came around and created The Big Bopper character and helped pioneer a new style to radio another thing that he brought was he made the FIRST music video which is something that every musician would do for decades which is what made MTV popular. It all started with Bopper.
I think it's a crime that he's NOT in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and He wasn't just the one hit wonder who died with Richie Valens and Buddy Holly in a plane crash, For his "bop" style mixing humor and some personality to his music and the reasons I mentioned earlier, JP "The Big Bopper" Richardson definitely deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Posted by Mason Esterline on Wednesday, 12/16/2020 @ 02:22am


This Guy Is Rock And Roll!!!!He had his big Chantilly Lace 1958,million dollar seller, wrote George Jones million dollar White Lighting and wrote the world wide no 1 hit Running Bear by Johnny Preston!I believe all three songs done in a years time frame!!!Whats amazing he knew talent too because the two other artist that were made famous singing his songs were right there near Beaumont Port Arthur Nederland Port Neches Groves Texas Orange area called Golden Triangle! This is the same place Janice Joplin and The Winter Boys came from!!!!The Big Bopper is

Posted by Carl Broom on Tuesday, 12/29/2020 @ 19:56pm


Addendum Rock and Roll!Listen to Purple People Eater Meets Witch Doctor It's pure genius!!!!Listen to the sounds of Purple and you have Alvin and Chip monks born!Somebody ran with it!!!Big Bopper also could be father of Music videos He said they needed videos on juke boxes!Read about the horrible situation about the cold conditions and travel!They always had sold out shows on Winter Dance Tour Big Bopper gave his all even sick bringing Rock and Roll ☎️ It time to answer Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame!!!HelllllloooooBabbbbbbyyyy!!!!

Posted by Carl Broom on Tuesday, 12/29/2020 @ 20:08pm


You have to remember, "The Big Bopper" was a persona J.P. Richardson created. J.P. had a great business in addition to his great songwriting ability. So, when the "novelty song" became a fad in the late 50's, J.P. was smart enough to ride that wave. But I think even he knew it wouldn't last. He had a lot of irons in the fire at that time. He was writing songs for other artists, building a recording studio in his home and had plans to invest in a radio station of his own. "the Big Bopper" was just gimmick.

Posted by Phil White on Saturday, 05/22/2021 @ 21:17pm


Would "the Big Bopper" have lasted into the sixties? I doubt it. Would he have had as much influence on the genre as Holly influencing The Beatles or Valens influencing every Latino who ever picked up a Fender Strat? Unlikely. However, J.P. Richardson, I believe, would have found success well into the sixties and beyond. I think he would have continued to write hits for other artists and maybe even become a Nashville producer responsible for some iconic records. But induction into the Rock hall is not based on what an artist could have done but on evidence of what they actually accomplished. Therefore, I think induction would be inappropriate.

Posted by Phil White on Saturday, 05/22/2021 @ 21:18pm


the Big Bopper shouldve been in already seems legends of the 1950s and 1960s of the Rock n Roll era are been bypassed and inducting no talent wannabees from the 1990s to 2022 including rap, boybands who cant seem to perform shame shame talent went out the door, period.Do the right thing induct the true Legends not the no talent wannabees who make millions.Long live 1950s rocknroll,blues,doowopandrockabilly

Posted by Charles Tolentino on Saturday, 02/5/2022 @ 02:35am


Given this performer was way ahead of his time (Music Video for promotion, the number of hits he wrote, etc.) he should very much be a Hall of Famer. It is a travesty for him not to be.

Posted by John F Banas on Saturday, 05/7/2022 @ 16:08pm


They let alot of crap into the hall so called artist who doesn't belong in the hall and the Big Boppers contribution far succeeded them!

Posted by Ricky Cooper on Tuesday, 09/27/2022 @ 06:47am


Please look up our Movie @bopperandme.com
It will show you the Injustice regarding the Bopper
Our US premiere of the movie is at the Iowa Independent Film Festival in September

Posted by John Young on Saturday, 07/29/2023 @ 14:34pm


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Future Rock Legends is your home for The Big Bopper and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including year of eligibility, number of nominations, induction chances, essential songs and albums, and an open discussion of their career.


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