U.S. Discography of Jiles Perry "J.P." Richardson Jr. (October 24, 1930 Ð February 3, 1959), known as The Big Bopper, was an American musician and disc jockey. His best-known compositions include "Chantilly Lace," "Running Bear" and "White Lightning", the latter of which became George Jones' first number-one hit in 1959. Richardson was killed in an airplane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa, in 1959, along with fellow musicians Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, and the pilot, Roger Peterson.