The Surf Ballroom & Buddy Holly Crash Site - The Day the Music Died

On February 2, 1959, legendary rockstars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, & the Big Bopper played their last concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. After midnight they boarded a plane from the nearby Mason City, Iowa Airport that was to take them to Fargo, North Dakota for their next day's gig. The plane never arrived, and tragically was found crashed in a snowy Iowa cornfield on the morning of February 3, just 5 miles from takeoff. This event shocked the music world and leaves many to this day pondering over the young talent lost and what "could have been" had history taken a different path.

Singer Don McLean famously coined the phrase "The Day the Music Died" referring to this event in his anthem American Pie. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and JP Richardson "The Big Bopper" all greatly influenced the trajectory of rock'n' roll during their short time on Earth. In this film I pay tribute to them and the spirit of music as I tour the historic and beautiful Surf Ballroom and take you to the scene of the crash where there is a memorial set up. Their music lives on and rock'n roll never dies...

Surf Ballroom Tour: 0:00
Buddy Holly Plane Crash Site: 36:13

End Song: American Pie - performed by my Dad - Dave Rowley