Author: Barry Kerzner

At about 1 a.m. on the morning of February 3rd, 1959, the chartered Beechcraft 35 Bonanza airplane carrying Ritchie Valens, J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, Buddy Holly and pilot Roger Peterson crashed into a field north of Clear Lake, Iowa. This tragic event came to be known as “The Day the Music Died.” Valens, Richardson, and Holly had just performed at the Surf Ballroom as part of the “Winter Dance Party” tour through the Midwest United States. With the release of “That’ll Be the Day” in May 1957, Holly was now a celebrity. Richardson as “The Big Bopper” and Valens were…

Read More