J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper), Coffin for Sale.
Jim Beam
01/05/2009 4:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
courtesy of NME.com
The son of iconic '50s rock n' roller the Big Bopper has said he plans
to sell his late father's casket--which he was buried in for 48 years--
on eBay in the next few weeks.
The Big Bopper, real name J.P. Richardson, died along with Buddy Holly
and Richie Valens in a plane crash in 1959. The accident has since
become known as "the day the music died" after Don McLean recalled the
incident in his massive-selling 1972 U.S. number one "American Pie."
The 16-gauge steel casket was exhumed from its original resting place
in 2007, because Richardson's son wanted to move his father to a more
visible location, reports The Beaumont Enterprise.
"I have no personal use for the casket," Richardson said. "When you
get down to it, it is just a metal box. More important is what this
particular metal box represents.
"In another 200 years, will people care about rock 'n' roll?" he
continued. "Who knows? But why would I want to destroy it? Even though
it was dad's resting place for 48 years, it's also a unique
opportunity to learn more about the early years of rock 'n' roll."
Richardson, who was born three months after his father's death, said
he saw his body for the first time in person after it was exhumed.
Buried in a black suit with a blue-and-grey striped tie and socks, the
Big Bopper's thick, brown hair was reportedly still in perfect
condition. He has since been reburied in a new casket.
Richardson says he plans to use the money raised from the eBay auction
to fund a musical show about his father.
For more music news, go to NME.com.
who?
I think this is sick...selling his father's casket? Jeez.
Jim Beam
> On Jan 7, 5:05 am, Jim Beam <Tenbeers1...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Richardson, who was born three months after his father's death, said
> > he saw his body for the first time in person after it was exhumed.
> > Buried in a black suit with a blue-and-grey striped tie and socks, the
> > Big Bopper's thick, brown hair was reportedly still in perfect
> > condition. He has since been reburied in a new casket.
>
>
> Morbid question...does anyone know how long a body stays intact in the
> grave if it was embalmed?
>
> (IOW, What was this poor guy looking at when he saw his "Dad" for the
> first time? A skull with hair? )
This is a rough guess, approx. 25-50 yrs it depends on how much
embalming fluid used. I once worked for a funeral director back in
the mid 70's to the early 80's, once asked the same thing.
BLACKPOOLJIMMY
Probably would sell quicker if the Bopper was in it.
Guess what J.P...your son is an asshole.
Kat
"BLACKPOOLJIMMY" <Chippa...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:a7dec96b-e582-4274...@40g2000prx.googlegroups.com...
There was some kind of documentary made about that day in 59 and the
Booper's son was in it. He does revival shows doing his dad's show of songs.
Looks much like him. He was allowed to get on a bus with Waylon Jennings -
much to Jennings dismay. Not the sharpest penny in the bunch. His dad was
really a DJ with one gimic hit - Chantilly Lace. Of course you knew that.
BLACKPOOLJIMMY
> "BLACKPOOLJIMMY" <Chippandf...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> - Show quoted text -
Yes...but he still was one of the bricks in the foundation of R&R....
Bernie Woodham
AllaBest
> dad was
> really a DJ with one gimic hit - Chantilly Lace.
Not really. He wrote "Running Bear" as well.
Jim Beam
>
> - Show quoted text -
Yes, after that I worked in a cemetery that also did work for a Jewish
cemetery. Jewish law requires that there is no embalming or vaults
and a plain wooden coffin. One day we had a funeral in the Jewish
part, coffin goes in the hole the backhoe comes in to drop the dirt
and CRACK the wood splits and I look down and there is a leg dangling
out, the only thing that we could do is put more dirt on. Also took
part in a exhumation.
who?
With all the grave robbers out there, is there something available
they would use, to be able to see through the ground...into the
caskets, to see what they want to steal off the bodies? Or do they
just pick and choose at random? What is taking part in a exhumation
like? I would probably puke.
Jim Beam
>
> - Show quoted text -
The priest says something, the crane pulls the vault out (lots of
water and it stinks). Then the priest says some more at the new
grave. The grave robbers would have to dig by hand thru 4-6ft of dirt
and rocks. They would get caught anyways.
who?
Do they always get caught though?