On September 7, 1813, the United States got its nickname, Uncle
Sam. The name is linked to Samuel Wilson (shown below), a meat
packer from Troy, New York, who supplied barrels of beef to the
United States Army during the War of 1812. Wilson (1766-1854)
stamped the barrels with “U.S.” for United States, but soldiers
began referring to the grub as “Uncle Sam’s.” The local paper 
picked up on the story and Uncle Sam eventually gained 
widespread acceptance as the nickname for, and
personification of, the U.S. federal government.

Samuel Wilson (September 13, 1766 – July 31, 1854)

THE CRICKETS from left: Joe B. Mauldin, Buddy Holly and
Jerry Allison. 

Charles Hardin “Buddy” Holley
(September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959)

Singer-songwriter Buddy Holly was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s
rock and roll. He was born in Lubbock, Texas, to a musical family during the
Great Depression.

During his short career, Holly wrote and recorded many songs. He is often
regarded as the artist who defined the traditional rock-and-roll lineup of
two guitars, bass, and drums. He was a major influence on later popular
popular music artists, including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling
Stones, and Eric Clapton,