Even before the rickety tour bus rolled into Clear Lake Iowa on the 'Winter Dance Party' tour on February 2, 1959, Buddy Holly had decided he would try to rent a plane ride to the tour's next stop in Fargo, North Dakota. The heaters on the busses had broken several times while wind chills on the highways between no more than whistle stop concerts across the upper midwest dipped to 30 below zero. Some on the tour suffered frostbite while riding on the bus. Members of the tour huddled under blankets and whatever else they could find to stay warm. Laundry was a luxury that hadn't been done in two weeks.
When Buddy got to Clear Lake ready to play the Surf Ballroom that night, he called ahead to Dwyer's Flying Service in Mason City Iowa. He contracted a pilot named Roger Peterson. You know the rest of the story, the weather was bad, and Peterson had recently failed his instrument flying test. Instrument flying would have been most necessary on this frigid night with gusty winds and snow squalls about. About 15 minutes after the Beechcraft Bonanza took off, it crashed in Albert Juhl’s corn field, shortly before 1am on February 3rd. All four were killed on impact. If you're all about the history of this night, you can see Buddy and Richie's death certificates online at the website Find-a-Death (Buddy's and Richie's) but we warn you, it's grim.
You know your old friend Johnny would bring you a local angle on this story and here it is; Buddy's apartment building in NYC is still there, in Greenwich Village. You can walk up and see Buddy's former home at 5th Avenue and 9th Street, the Brevoort. Buddy used to like to go down to Washington Square at the fountain and play unnoticed and give tips to aspiring musicians.
Tonight, at the Surf Ballroom back in Clear Lake, they'll have a humdinger of a live show to commemorate the lives of those lost too soon. Bobby Vee, Graham Nash, Los Lobos, Wanda Jackson, Los Lonely Boys, the remaining Crickets and Maria Elena Holly, Buddy's widow will all be on hand.
Tonight is the only night you're not gonna get a late night open thread. Instead we're going to let the music of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens take you wherever it is music takes you when you're sad, reflective, melancholy, and yet grateful to those we lost 50 years ago this night.
Buddy Holly-Peggy Sue
Richie Valens-Oh Donna
The Big Bopper-Chantilly Lace
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