Originally called "That's What I Like," this was released as a B-side for another song. While the A-side got some airplay, the "Chantilly Lace" B-side eventually took off, becoming one of the most played songs of 1958. The Big Bopper was a star, and for most of the year he was on tour promoting his record.
The Big Bopper's real name was J.P. Richardson. He was a prominent DJ at KTRM in Beaumont, Texas who had a few hit records of his own. He also become a prolific songwriter, and his songs would later provide hits for Johnny Preston with "Running Bear" and George Jones with "White Lightnin." He died on Feb 3, 1959 in the plane crash that also killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. This day was immortalized in Don McLean's song "American Pie" as "The day the music died."
In 1958, the Big Bopper recorded three music videos for his songs: "Chantilly Lace," "Big Bopper's Wedding" and "Little Red Riding Hood" (all three videos were recorded the same day). He also coined the term "rock video" in a printed interview in 1959. According to Bill Griggs, editor of the Rockin' 50s music magazine, the Big Bopper was convinced that video was the wave of the future and, at the time of his death, he was preparing to start production on music videos for TV and a specially designed jukebox that would play videos.
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