![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5vOCkwNe4onLVp5t4BrLH7OwlAYLH8j3T53YzFwTK213VMUnJg05A9Kpmt5_mMtb2t5FVCIkGwpbbiXNFJ2aRbjq2kn8TE1_7h8gFOn4gxmRzO_ziSZ7Pc-mmn50X3w0FfshxiYZlIZ3/s400/IMG_5353.JPG)
On February 3, 1959, just north of Clear Lake, IA, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and JP Richardson (The Big Bopper) were killed in a small plane crash.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbdaCHdAfKsmCeHQ6nB7nhfeYEpn25egZ8rGZBdXNW-LNPW4dcv1D85DizOpd7DDzHKAFlQaW6wZJ5O_i_ODxL7D1OSjdRZbCJaL9fgG8LTTkJGpYJU2AQ16aowGSGEUTCvkVOUIziWUZ/s400/IMG_5346.JPG)
They had just finished performing at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh960F5QwYR_A1xs4q77gqotIoOiFroTVto56C5ervK6uLvvBpfN_Vjm_5jIYxJUj68gFyFz06gQO51FH6PxLFPmCsjI91oWG7-3bwfmPQyBb24f4o3hSqm4nk7bau2fShii_lDQezZacBc/s400/IMG_5365.JPG)
We went inside and were invited to go up on the stage. We even danced a little.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOK8oay4qL0Z1R_N7C8o_7oBqV2-s0KhbbalZVLCJp9mD1z5GGw3PGPp0Yh0oSDSnt7QSukDgZ5rBCKmiTDe4Cq_PiVAMFvhf5EJkz23I0O43vc7XbShGUx3jEhG92JX-9kAvjYLvUBkFu/s400/IMG_5361.JPG)
The last known picture of Buddy Holly.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxWXw6vaZ1eity82kJrYyBX6UY77U5XXIHmu7CMFDrWdTtEYT_KMNqEmf-g9Ctp_-KIbKRiS8uPqn5w7AIQ4mczFKRz3Gq5mgXRlqOHExvArypkG5zuE5JhZiZPeeESQFYJ58Gl4sW2od/s400/IMG_5354.JPG)
Many other famous performers have appeared at the Surf, both before and after that fateful night.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnGxFJf1dojroIWTwQTkW8sRTdvyHNHBusWcsF2qBybWcUOTyYG3XfUR3mmwTC_pWN_8rzIZotX1KdwKty3F3msU6Hs-nZknFe7JyxMF4CZMFs8BOMCexpczP-o2DM-m8eoyDQzD3Y00e/s400/IMG_5358.JPG)
Including two of my favorites, Toby Keith,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-fjc8457vOGTFeDPvFoI_EzCvXc5ETut2540QC7FCfMWT9UutEFom5dLOHU_LeOMgtvekc72FpjSORYp6ETI49inqzdBLHU-IOfT8YPnEYX7RKsdFY4wnXwMyRzC2IxKFBvvu8wts4cm/s400/IMG_5360.JPG)
and Josh Turner.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9WTd2OYfNAErhYaVh-DHw_ATEzKw12iLt2xQkCcrgCx8HqT6uuV_C4AUVbH7W99f9blz1rU0RU9P0L4sXXmnSmz7-oK2R2t3-0DEdtpW4yLS1qdV1Vp-C0NTJ7bSSzs-mVevgQ5W5Qs4/s400/IMG_5369.JPG)
I was even allowed to see inside the Green Room, where all the performers have signed the wall.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7P1H5hwG6WB-06Q2VGufReWltrjoteGTX9ZQFvQdJKxn5og8T-P1SJneqN4OL_URS5AoWFy3m1VHHrrXp8Ij9wnMZ-c6rGhCFmuTJHCCW9X9lTtdHU6dIM8P-q13xAny0vOfZL_jBkMg/s400/IMG_5371.JPG)
The most amazing was the first verse of the song "American Pie," which tells about that night, handwritten by Don McLean himself.
A long, long time ago...
I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile.
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And, maybe, they’d be happy for a while.
But February made me shiver
With every paper I’d deliver.
Bad news on the doorstep;
I couldn’t take one more step.
I can’t remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride,
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died.
Bye bye Miss American Pie, I drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry, Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye singing "This'll be the day that I die, this'll be the day that I die."
ReplyDeleteThat's a blast from the past. Thanks for the history lesson!!
I love all the signatures on the wall - that must have been interesting.
ReplyDelete