A Comeback
In 1984, John and Bill met with Maria Elena at Lubbock and told her about their desire to overdub more Buddy Holly solos, and she agreed. Buddy's original solo masters were sent to Houston for the purpose, and many more latter-day overdubs were completed by the Picks, beginning in 1984. Bill Pickering died on January 25, 1985, and at his request shortly before his death, the first Buddy Holly and The Picks (1986) album was released, although it happened more than a year after his death.
In 1987, John Pickering and his wife Vicky helped Vi Petty plan and organize the first Clovis Music Festival at Clovis, New Mexico while John was recording 30 songs over a period of three months at Norman Petty's downtown twenty-four track Mesa Theater Recording Studio. John still writes songs and solos, occasionally providing all three parts of back-up harmonies for other artists at Houston, Texas.
Today, John Pickering is finishing a book about the Pickering Family Quartet, the Picks, the Pickering Brothers, and their musical careers.
Bob Lapham is an author with several books to his credit, including a novel (fiction with some facts) called Meet Me at the River Buddy Holly. He is a retired newspaper editor living in Abilene, Texas. He occasionally does some back-up singing produced by his son, John Mark Lapham, who has had a long association with England's musical group The Earlies.
Longtime members of the internet Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the original three Picks (John Pickering, the late Bill Pickering, and Bob Lapham) were inducted into the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame at Albuquerque, New Mexico on November 10, 2007. On February 23, 2009, a resolution was read into the Texas State Senate honoring The Picks for over 50 years of artistic contributions to the state. In 2006, the West Texas Music Hall of Fame presented The Picks the Pioneer Award.
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