Here are pictures from Clear Lake, Iowa
You may download them for your personal use. For professional use, please credit “Bluboo” and this web address, copyright 2007.
A memorial where the plane crash happened on February 3, 1959
The path to the Memorial … it’s about where the tall corn on the right ends
The headlines from the Mason City Globe-Gazette
A full view of the news
News pictures of the crash
The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, the site of the last performance by Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens
A monument in front of The Surf Ballroom
The Stage in The Surf Ballroom
Looking into the audience from the stage
Publicity poster and a picture of The Big Bopper
More from the Surf Ballroom
A Tribute to Buddy
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Flickr Photos
More Photos
August 4, 2007 at 7:58 pm
As emcee of the Winter Dance Party of ‘59 in Clear lake I appreciate tributes such as yours. Four young talented people were snuffed out way too early in life. The pilot, Roger Peterson was a neighbor; the performers had become new friends in about 3 minutes! They were going to put together SPRING Dance Party and add a day for enjoying Clear Lake and a cookout at our place. Nearly 50 years later, it still hurts.
Bob Hale
August 5, 2007 at 12:11 pm
Hi Bob,
Thanks so much for taking the time to find my site and to share such a personal comment. Visitors to this site will certainly appreciate the depth of your loss. Here is a site with a picture of you … http://www.buddyhollyonline.com/clearlake.html. Also, there is a site with a picture of the special monument dedication at the Surf in June, 1988: you, Ritchie Valens’ sister Irma, Maria Elena Holly, J. P. Richardson, Jr., Ritchie’s other sister Connie, and the late, great Darrel Hein, for many years the manager of the Surf Ballroom: http://www.jlindquist.com/bhtcl.html. I hope all visitors will take some time to look at these great pics. Thanks again, Bob.
May 20, 2008 at 6:51 pm
I dunno what it is….. I’m born in 1979 but when La Bamba the movie came out in 1985, my life changed. And it never stopped for me, because as I got older and listened to more oldies, I keep finding out that my heroes all died. There’s a big part of these guys in me, along with Ricky Nelson. Just something about planes I guess; I’ve had crash nightmares every month since the mid-eighties. Maybe it’s a sign. …. If I’m ever goin’ to heaven, I’m going there playin’ my 1952 Fender Telecaster. Here’s to you, Good Ol’ Boys! THANKS FOR CHANGING MY LIFE. ** I AM TRYING NOT TO MAKE ‘THE MUSIC DIE’ ** FRANK A. ROY – Toronto, Ontario CANADA – http://www.myspace.com/frankie1957
June 14, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Nice page! I live in Clear Lake and this is a great page to direct friends and family to who have never been to the area and don’t know the history. Thanks for publishing such a great informative page!
November 17, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Hey,i waas born in 58.I still listen to the oldies.Good work