May be best known as one of the casualties on the "day the music died" when the plane with Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper crashed. Jiles Perry (J.P.) Richardson, Jr. (October 24, 1930 – February 3, 1959), called JP by friends but commonly known as The Big Bopper, was a disc jockey who parlayed a big voice and exuberant personality into a career as an early rock and roll star.