Created: February 03, 2021 02:24 AM
(ABC 6 News) - 62 years ago, tragedy struck near Clear Lake, IA. That s when Feb. 3 became known as, the day the music died.
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson died in a plane crash after making their last public appearance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake.
The Surf has made it their mission to host an annual event in their honor called the Winter Dance Party which draws in people from all over the world. The multi-day event had to change this year because of the pandemic. So, like most things it is forced to go virtual.
AJ TaylorJanuary 25, 2021Last Updated: February 28, 2021
The U.S. Department of the Interior has designated the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, as a National Historic Landmark, recognizing its enduring role in the history of American music. The ballroom is best known for hosting the last concert of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson before their fatal plane crash in the early hours of Feb. 3, 1959, a date Don McLean immortalized as “the day the music died” in his 1971 hit “American Pie.”
National Historic Landmarks are buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that have been determined to be nationally significant in American history and culture. The ballroom’s nomination was officially approved on Jan. 13.