F*** Yeah Buddy Holly!

On February 3, 1959, rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, together with the pilot, Roger Peterson. The event later became known as “The Day the Music Died”, after singer-songwriter Don McLean so referred to it in his song “American Pie”.

At the time, Holly and his band, consisting of Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup, and Carl Bunch, were playing on the “Winter Dance Party” tour across the Midwest. Rising artists Valens and Richardson had joined the tour as well.

The long journeys between venues on board the cold, uncomfortable tour buses adversely affected the performers, with cases of flu and even frostbite. After stopping at Clear Lake to perform, and frustrated by such conditions, Holly fatefully decided to charter a plane to reach their next venue in Moorhead, Minnesota. Richardson, who had flu, swapped places with Jennings, taking the latter’s seat on the plane, while Allsup lost his seat to Valens on a coin toss.

After visiting the Surf Ballroom, I knew I had to see the Buddy Holly Memorial Crash Site (well, at least that’s what it’s called on Facebook for those who like to check-in) in order to complete “The Day The Music Died” pilgrimage. This is the cornfield where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson crashed during a snowstorm on February 3, 1959. A map I found on the internet was a bit confusing, but there was also a set of directions at the nearby Surf Ballroom museum. Because there is no signage on the drive up there, you need a bit of research and dedication or you’re probably not going to find it.

Although I grew up in an urbanized environment surrounded by millions of people, I was actually nervous driving through cornfields as I am only familiar with cornfields that are now suburban subdivisions. I felt pretty ridiculous driving around dirt roads in the middle of nowhere, until I saw another car with out-of-state plates parked on the side of the road next to a giant pair of signature Buddy Holly glasses. This is the place to stop and get out, although most people just take a few photos and leave. But this is just a marker. The actual crash site with the memorial is about 200 yards inside the cornfield. It’s private property, but luckily the farmer who owns this land doesn’t really care about trespassing and has left an unplanted row to allow access for crazy people like me.

When I pulled my car over, I noticed a man sitting inside the other parked vehicle. He said his wife is “in there” and “it’s a really long walk,” which is the reason why he didn’t make the trek. Well, I understand it was the middle of summer and a bit humid, but the walk was literally five minutes, proving yet again that Americans cannot walk (or simply refuse to do so). I walked by his wife, who seemed rather happy to be there (she must be a fan…her husband not so much). Anyway, the memorial is a metal sculpture of a guitar marked with the names of the three musicians along with three records of their popular hits: “Peggy Sue”, “Chantilly Lace” and “Donna”. I’m not a huge fan but it still left a lasting impression, especially after having just visited the Surf Ballroom. And I did watch La Bamba a lot as a kid.