Final answer:
Buddy Holly was the innovative performer who influenced the Beatles and 1960s rock groups after his premature death.
Step-by-step explanation:
The young innovative performer who was to influence the Beatles and other 1960s rock groups after his premature death was C. Buddy Holly. Buddy Holly was known for his innovative approach to music and his influence on later rock musicians, despite his career being cut short by a tragic plane crash. His approach laid the groundwork for many rock and roll artists that followed, and his work was particularly significant to the development and popularity of the genre during the 1950s and 1960s.