BILLY MCGUIGAN:RAVE ON!

PERFORMANCEGUIDE FOR TEACHERS

AREAS OF INTEREST:MUSIC, HISTORY, ART,

PERFORMING ARTS

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BACKGROUNDSpecial performances and workshops from world-class artists bring young people and educators (Pre-K–12th grades) together from across Nebraska to share unforgettable experiences. Presenting all genres of performing arts—theater, music and dance—the Lied’s Arts Across Nebraska program enhances classroom learning, expands cultural awareness and inspires young people and their teachers through exposure to the arts.

ABOUT RAVE ON! THE BUDDY HOLLY EXPERIENCERAVE ON! re-invents the ordinary tribute show with an electrifying, high-energy, rock ‘n’ roll extravaganza featuring America’s Premier Buddy Holly interpreter, Billy McGuigan, who is a dead-ringer for the legendary rocker. Backed by the rockin’ RAVE ON! Band, whose incredible musicianship helps to ignite the stage and breathe new life into the music of Buddy Holly, this will be an experience to remember.

In this rock n’ roll tour-de-force, audiences will experience all the thrills of a Buddy Holly concert re-imagined, including such hits as “Peggy Sue,” “Raining in My Heart,” “It’s So Easy,” “That’ll Be the Day,” “True Love Ways,”

“Oh Boy” and of course, “Rave On.” But that’s only part of it! In a unique twist, Billy as Buddy celebrates the birth of an era and pays homage to his fellow rockers Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper.

ABOUT BILLY MCGUIGANBILLY MCGUIGAN (Buddy Holly) has performed in over 1,500 performances of RAVE ON! and over 400 performances of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story since originating the role in Omaha, Nebraska in 2002. Career highlights include a Spotlight Award for Best Actor in a Musical (Phoenix, AZ), a nomination for an ariZoni Award in the category: Best Actor in a lead role— Musical (Phoenix, AZ) and performing with two of Buddy Holly’s contemporaries and Rockabilly Hall of Fame members Tommy Allsup (Buddy Holly’s lead guitarist) and Sonny West (songwriter of RAVE ON! and Oh, Boy!). During his run as Buddy Holly, Billy’s performances have sold out countless shows and have broken box office and attendance records in six theaters across the country. Billy took that success and developed this unique and exciting show, RAVE ON!, continuing that record-breaking tradition with an all-new concert format.

ABOUT BUDDY HOLLYBUDDY HOLLY is a Rock and Roll Legend of the 1950s era of music. Holly was born by the name of Charles Hardin Holley (now Holly) on September 7, 1936 in Lubbock, TX. Nicknamed “Buddy” by his mother, he was the youngest of four boys. From an early age Buddy took an interest in musical endeavors such as learning to play the fiddle, piano and even the basics of guitar. After high school, Buddy formed a band and began playing country and western music locally. Buddy’s inspiration to switch to rock ‘n’ roll music came from the famous Elvis Presley. Holly started his career in a band called The Crickets who began recording in Nashville in 1956. The Crickets charted seven Top 40 Singles in just a year’s time.

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In 1958, Buddy Holly broke from The Crickets band to begin his solo career. Unfortunately, his career came to an untimely end on February 3, 1959. Holly was on a private plane headed to the tour’s next stop in Moorhead, MN. Fellow performers Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper joined the singer on the doomed flight that crashed in Clear Lake, IA, within minutes of leaving the ground, killing everyone on board. At 22 years old, Buddy Holly’s death is referenced in Don McLean’s iconic song, “American Pie” as “the day the music died.” However, his music didn’t truly die. In fact his music has lived on, influencing the work of many rock ‘n’ roll artists such as Elvis Costello, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and others.

ABOUT ROCK‘N’ROLLROCK ‘N’ ROLL music originated in the United States during the mid-1950s. It is a conversion of country music and rhythm and blues, yet it is much more than that. Many have described rock ‘n’ roll as the merge of white and black culture in the United States. This new sound emerged from a combination of gospel style harmonies and aggressive rhythm and blues from black vocal groups as well as the emergence of popular disc jockeys that played on local radio stations. At the time, this new style of music introduced an exotic, thrilling, and even illicit sound to a generation of American teenagers. One of the biggest images of rock ‘n’ roll is none other than Elvis Presley. Presley’s mu-sic personified an attitude of sexuality from blues wails to crooner ballads. Buddy Holly followed alongside Presley as an icon of the new genre. In the early 1960s, the golden era of rock 'n' roll had come to an end and a new style of rock had emerged, but rock 'n' roll has left an everlasting impact on American music, from instrumentation to legendary icons.

POSSIBLE FOLLOW UP LESSONS GRADES K–4

LESSON 1America, A Home for Every Culture

SUMMARYThrough teacher-guided discussion and hands-on activities, students will explore how various cultures have contributed to making the United States the unique and diverse country that it is today

LEARNING OBJECTIVESStudents will:• Identify words that became part of the English language as a result of immigrant groups settling in America• Identify the origin of music and instruments from a variety of ethnic backgrounds—referencing the origins of rock ‘n’ roll and the cultures it affected and involved• Understand how foods differ from nation to nation by creating a class “Multicultural Family Recipe Book”• Express understanding of the value of diversity in a poem or drawing

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For more information about this lesson visit: https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-3-4/America_A_Home_for_Every_Cultures

POSSIBLE FOLLOW UP LESSONS GRADES 5–8

LESSON 2Elvis and Race in 1950s America

SUMMARYStudents address the question of how rock ‘n’ roll artists’ careers, such as Elvis Presley, affected racial relations and tensions in the mid 1950s. Students discuss what segregation and Jim Crow laws looked like during this time period. Students place themselves in the shoes of a child of the 1940s and 1950s and discuss what music they would have listened to. Students listen to various recordings while analyzing the motives of the lyrics and productions of various songs.

LEARNING OBJECTIVESStudents will:

• Evaluate the historical context in which music was performed• Interpret how public reaction to popular music reflects the social norms

and values of a particular historical era• Make connections among political, legal and cultural developments

For more information about this lesson visit: http://teachrock.org/lesson/elvis-and-race-in-1950s-america/

POSSIBLE FOLLOW UP LESSONS GRADES 9–12

LESSON 3Learning From Lyrics

SUMMARYStudents research contemporary songs (alternative, country, metal, pop, rap, and rock music) to study current social issues. Have students research Buddy Holly songs they heard in the performance, and deliver oral presentations using factual data, graphics and other media to interpret the song lyrics.

LEARNING OBJECTIVESStudents will:• Analyze the song to determine the artist’s point-of-view regarding the subject addressed in the song• Create visual representation of the songs and the relevant cultural and historical information about each

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• Design and create an original visual aid that illustrates a central theme of the song• Identify the social studies issue/event/person that is addressed in the song• Identify three social studies concepts that apply to the issue/event/idea expressed in the song• Interpret song lyrics based on contextual clues and research information.• Present their opinions and research information orally• Synthesize their learning through a presentation that incorporates music, visual arts and oral speech

For more information about this lesson visit: https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-9-12/Learning_From_Lyrics

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: NEBRASKA FINE ARTS AND CONTENT STANDARDS SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS:

K–4 GRADESS 0.3.4.a Identify aspects of culture within the local community and other communities (e.g., food, language, religion, celebrations and popular culture such as food, music and sports) SS 1.1.1 Students will identify and explain the importance of leaders and team members within their neighborhood and school community

5–8 GRADESS 8.4.5.d (WLD) Present an analysis of historical information about the world (e.g., pictures, posters, oral/written narratives and electronic presentation)

9–12 GRADESS 12.4.2.a (US) Analyze and evaluate the impact of people, events ideas, and symbols, including various cultures and ethnic groups, on history in the United States SS 12.4.2 (WLD) Students will analyze and evaluate the impact of people, events, ideas and symbols upon world history using multiple types of source

More information about the Nebraska Social Studies Standards can be found at: https://www.education.ne.gov/ss/Documents/2012December7VerticalNE_SocialStudiesStandardsApproved.pdf

MUSIC STANDARDS

K–4 GRADEFA 2.4.3.c Express ideas and opinions about a music selection

5–8 GRADEFA 8.4.3.d Connect music to historical and cultural contexts, the arts (glossary) and other disciplines through responding

9–12 GRADE FA 12.4.3 Students will analyze and evaluate how music elicits intended responses (personal response to music)

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FA 12.4.3.d Connect music to historical and cultural contexts, the arts (glossary), other disciplines and life experience through responding More information about the Nebraska Fine Arts/Music Standards can be found at: https://www.education.ne.gov/FineArts/Standards/Final_FAS_Music.pdf

LANGUAGE ARTS

K–4 GRADESS 0.3.4.a Identify aspects of culture within the local community and other communities (e.g., LA 1.2.2.a Communicate information and ideas effectively in analytic, descriptive, informative, narrative, poetic, persuasive and reflective modes to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats LA 3.1.6.o Demonstrate an understanding of text via multiple mediums (e.g., writing, artistic representation, video, other media) LA 3.1.6.p Make connections between the text of a story, drama or poem and a visual or oral presentation of the text

9–12 GRADESS 12.4.2.a (US) Analyze and evaluate the impact of people, events, ideas, and symbols, including LA 10.2.2.a Communicate information and ideas effectively in analytic, argumentative, descriptive, informative, narrative, poetic, persuasive, and reflective modes to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats LA 10.3.1.a Communicate ideas and information in a clear and concise manner suited to the purpose, setting, and audience (formal voice or informal voice), using appropriate word choice, grammar, and sentence structure LA 10.3.2.b Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats, evaluate its motives (e.g., social, commercial, political), and determine its credibility

More information about the Nebraska Language Arts Standards can be found at: https://www.education.ne.gov/Read/Standards/StandardsLinearBoardApproved.pdf

NATIONAL ARTS STANDARDS

Seventy writers representing NCCAS’s arts education member organizations created the new standards for dance, media arts, music, theatre and visual arts. More than 6,000 educators, teaching artists, parents, students and state and local focus groups offered input in four national reviews that helped shape the final standards. The Pre-K–12 grade-by-grade standards are intended to guide educators seeking to provide quality arts education for America’s students, define artistic literacy and support 21st century skills and college and career readiness. The arts standards will be housed in the NCCAS website at www.nationalartsstandards.org.

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SOURCESHaden, R. (2014). America, A Home for Every Culture. ARTSEDGE. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-3-4/America_A_Home_for_Every_Culture.aspx

Garran, D., & Chase, J. (2014). Learning From Lyrics. ARTSEDGE. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-9-12/Learning_From_Lyrics

Bio. (2016). Buddy Holly Biography: Singer (1936-1959). A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from http://www.biography.com/people/buddy-holly-9342186

NCCAS. (2014). National Core Arts Standards: Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts. NCCAS. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/

Nebraska Department of Education (2013). Welcome to the Content Area Standards Website. Nebraska Department of Education. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from https://www.education.ne.gov/AcademicStandards/index.html

Nebraska Department of Education. (2014) Fine Arts Standards. Nebraska Department of Education. Retrieved November 03, 2016 from https://www.education.ne.gov/FineArts/

TeachRock.org. (n.d.). Elvis and Race in 1950s America. TeachRock.org. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from http://teachrock.org/lesson/elvis-and-race-in-1950s-america/

Kot, G. (2016). Rock and roll: Early style of rock music. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from https://www.britannica.com/art/rock-and-roll-early-style-of-rock-music

NCSS (2002). NCSS National Standards for Social Studies Teachers. NCSS. Retrieved November 03, 2016, from http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/teacherstandards

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThis performance guide was developed for the Lied Center’s Arts Across Nebraska (AAN) program. Support for AAN is provided by: • The Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment • Friends of Lied • Richard P. Kimmel and Laurine Kimmel Charitable Foundation

The guide was also supported by the Lied’s Kennedy Center Partners in Education Porgram, a collaboration that unites the Lied Center with the Umonhon Nation School, Lincoln Public Schools and the University of Nebraska Lincoln to provide professional development in arts integration for K–12 teachers.

For more information please contact: Nancy Engen-WedinLied Center for Performing Arts301 N. 12th Street Lincoln, NE 68588-0151402.472.4707 | nengenwedin2@unl.eduwww.liedcenter.org