Niki Sullivan (June 23, 1937 – April 6, 2004) was an American rock and roll guitarist, born in South Gate, California.
During the summer of 1956, the 19-year-old Sullivan first met Holly, by way of his high school friend Jerry Allison, at a jam session in Lubbock, Texas.
While trying to record "Peggy Sue" after many unsatisfactory takes, Sullivan ended up kneeling next to Buddy while he played, and when cued flipped a switch on Holly's Stratocaster, allowing him to break into the now-famous guitar solo.
It was around this period that he also wrote and produced the single "Look to the Future," which was recorded by Gary Tollett and the Picks, who often did back-up vocals for the Crickets.
In 1978, he reunited with Allison, Mauldin, and new lead singer Sonny Curtis for a one-night performance at a Buddy Holly Festival.
Over the years, he gave numerous interviews about his life with the Crickets and played at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, where Holly had given his last concert.