The Surf Ballroom and Museum - Buddy Holly's Last Show (Clear Lake, Iowa)

USA / Iowa / Clear Lake / Clear Lake, Iowa / North Shore Drive, 460
 night club, ballroom
 Upload a photo
460 North Shore Drive
Clear Lake, IA 50428
(641) 357-6151
www.surfballroom.com/

The Surf Ballroom is the site of Buddy Holly's last show before his plane crashed that ended up killing him, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper. Infamously known as the "Day the Music Died".
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surf_Ballroom
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   43°8'23"N   93°23'22"W

Comments

  • Population - 8,161 Clear Lake is a popular local destination in the summer time for boating, recreation, shopping and dining. The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake is also known as the last place Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Jiles Richardson (The Big Bopper) performed before their fatal airplane crash on February 3, 1959. Holly chartered the small plane to take the singers to Fargo, North Dakota for their next show while the remaining members of the group went by tour bus. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff from the Mason City Airport due to pilot error. The crash is immortalized in the Don McLean song "American Pie". Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup each gave up their seats on the plane to Richardson and Valens respectively. Jennings gave up his seat to Richardson, who had the flu. Valens lost a coin toss to Allsup for the final seat.
This article was last modified 9 years ago