TV REVIEW : Live Renditions, Film Clips Featured in Buddy Holly Tribute

Often, the timing of a television tribute seems determined more by whim than logic. Take the recent 50th anniversary Superman special on CBS. Why was it (and related homages, including a Time magazine cover story) keyed to late February--when the caped flyboy had his comic-book premiere in April , 1938? You could ask similar questions about PBS’ “Buddy Holly and the Crickets--A Tribute.”

This 90-minute special (airing about 10:10 tonight on Channel 28 as part of KCET’s pledge-drive programming) comes a year too early to mark the 30th anniversary of the influential rock star’s death (in a plane crash that also took the lives of Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper) and a year too late to properly “celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Crickets,” as host Kris Kristofferson says the show is meant to do.

But what ultimately counts is how good a TV tribute is--and the Holly one is good, conveying his marvelous talent and personality.

The emphasis is on live performances of his songs by well-selected artists--including Carl Perkins, John Fogerty, Don McLean, Joe Ely, Bobby Vee, Buddy Knox, Brian Setzer and Marshall Crenshaw. But there are also interesting interviews with Holly’s family, Waylon Jennings (who gave up his seat on the fatal aircraft to the Big Bopper) and others, plus some vintage footage of Holly--most of it gleaned from the Paul McCartney-produced Holly documentary that appeared on Cinemax last year.

However, this all-star tribute lacks the strong sense of the honored star’s presence, as was conveyed by McCartney’s film (now available on video). The PBS show’s format is a little too familiar, its presentation a shade too stiff and somber.

To use two Holly song titles for rating the KRLU/Austin-produced program, it may not deserve an “Oh Boy!” but it’s certainly worth a “Well . . . All Right.”

But will PBS pledge tributes ever break the two songs - film clip - two songs - and - so - on mold?

“That’ll Be the Day.”