Lubbock Claims Buddy Holly — and Built a Center for It

Buddy Holly was born and raised in Lubbock, and the city claims him proudly. The City of Lubbock runs the Buddy Holly Center to preserve his legacy and the wider music story of Lubbock and West Texas. The galleries also host visual art and music exhibits.

Just outside, Buddy and Maria Elena Holly Plaza holds the West Texas Walk of Fame and the Buddy Holly statue. That is the photo stop many visitors find first.

It helps explain why music feels baked into Lubbock's identity. This flat-plains city produced Holly and many musicians after him, and the city built a center and plaza around that story.