Jerry Allison, who played alongside Buddy Holly in The Crickets, has died.

The drummer, who co-wrote such classics as That’ll Be the Day and Peggy Sue, died on Monday 22 August at the age of 82.

His death was announced on the Buddy Holly Facebook page, with a statement calling him a “musician ahead of his time”.

“Our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Jerry ‘JI’ Allison, drummer in the Crickets, one of Buddy’s very closest friends, and the inspiration to drummers for decades since, who passed away today at the age of 82,” it read.

“JI was a musician ahead of his time, and undoubtedly his energy, ideas and exceptional skill contributed to both The Crickets, and rock n’ roll itself, becoming such a success.

“Buddy is often heralded as the original singer-songwriter, but JI, too, wrote and inspired so many of the songs that would go on to be eternal classics.”

Allison was the last living member of the original line-up of The Crickets, with Holly having been killed in a plane crash in 1959, while Niki Sullivan died in 2004 and Joe B Mauldin in 2017.