A recent photo of the site of the plane crash about five miles north of the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. (Photo credit: http://coast2coastchronicles.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/ski1835.jpg)

I feel a bit nostalgic for a moment.

Holowicki

A few days ago I posted some information on Facebook that I recently discovered on Buddy Holly. I felt this was an appropriate time to discuss this at this time of the year. I was a kid listening to my mom’s old records decades ago and among them were “At the hop,” by Danny & the Juniors and “Not Fade Away,” by the Crickets. That was Buddy Holly’s former band.

On Feb. 3, it will be the 53rd anniversary of the death of three rising music stars whose lives ended suddenly. They are Charles “Buddy” Holly, Ricardo Valenzuela “Ritchie Valens” and JP Richardson aka the “Big Bopper.”

They had just finished a gig in Clear Lake, Iowa, at the winter dance party tour and a few minutes later their lives would be taken in a plane crash about five miles north of clear Lake Iowa en route to their next show in Fargo, North Dakota.

Buddy Holly’s band at that point had released about six singles and had sold 4-5 million records, Ritchie Valens was just 17 and had also released a handful of singles, he was too sick to board a tour bus, which had a broken heating system. The Big Bopper also was recovering from flu-like symptoms and requested a seat on the plane.

WATCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SWIaJ5Ili4

Ritchie Valens, for those too young to remember — most of us were long from being born yet — was just starting out and had only a few hits in just about eight months with Donna, “Common Lets Go” and “La Bamba.”

WATCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hto-UMuYkwk&feature=related

JP Richardson was considered the main act at the time and excited the crowds with “Chantilly Lace,” his biggest hit.

WATCH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b-by5e4saI

Years later, Don Mclean would record “Miss American Pie,” in memorial partly to the tragic event remembering “the day the music

(Photo credit: http://www.cityofclearlake.com/files/images/Surf_Ballroom_08-31-2011_101358.jpg)

died.” Contrary to popular belief, the single engine 1947 Beechcraft Bonanza that the singers flew in was not nicknamed Miss American Pie and most of the song is not about the legendary trio, only part of it is.

The Surf Ballroom’s annual commemorative event honoring the musical legacies of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson began in 1979.

This Feb. 2-4, 2012, the Surf ballroom will host an all new Winter Dance Party in anniversary of the bitter sweet events that happened back in 1959.

The sold-out event this year will feature Pat Boone, Jason D. Williams, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, Marshall Lytle of the Original Comets, Tommy Allsup (Buddy’s guitarist), The Flamingos, Danny & the Juniors, The Bobbettes, John Mueller’s Winter Dance Party and Sid King & The Five Strings!

Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012
Doors open at 7 p.m. Nightly
Ticket Price: $ 110.00 Adv / $ 125.00 Door

(Again, sold out)

Steve Holowicki