Niki M. Sullivan

The fact that they left the guitar player that rounded out the Crickets, Nikki Sullivan out of the story makes for really bad history and in some ways spoils the entire project because of its fictionalized accounting of the development and success of the group. Sullivan was one of the three original members of Buddy Holly's backup group, The Crickets. Though he lost interest within a year or two of his involvement, his guitar playing was an integral part of Holly's early success. He also co-wrote a number of his hit songs and sang back-up vocals on 27 of the 32 songs Buddy recorded over his entire career, despite the overdubbing episode which suggests the Crickets were always comprised of two musicians rather than the trio plus Buddy. I wonder what legal issues were involved since Nikki was living when they made the film. He just recently died on April 6, 2004. Pretty cool guy, I'd say. I wonder what the whole story is behind this omission. Or is there an omerta on an omission?