1959 Winter Dance Party

The 1959 Winter Dance Party was an ill-fated, 24-day rock and roll promotional tour across the American Midwest that became historically synonymous with "The Day the Music Died". Organized by the General Amusement Company (GAC), the itinerary scheduled 24 consecutive nightly shows without any rest days. The routing was highly disorganized, requiring the musicians to crisscross back and forth over 6,000 miles in freezing winter weather. The primary mode of transportation was a series of poorly reconditioned school buses with broken heating systems. The sub-zero temperatures inside the buses caused several performers to contract the flu. The conditions became so severe that Buddy Holly's drummer, Carl Bunch, had to be hospitalized for frostbite on his toes. Frustrated by the freezing buses, Buddy Holly chartered a three-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft from the Mason City Airport following the February 2nd show at the Surf Ballroom. The goal was to fly to Fargo, North Dakota, to reach the next venue in Moorhead, Minnesota, early enough to rest and do laundry. The Big Bopper, suffering from the flu, convinced Waylon Jennings to give up his seat. Ritchie Valens won the final seat on the plane after winning a coin toss against guitarist Tommy Allsup. Shortly after takeoff in the early hours of February 3, 1959, the plane crashed into an Iowa cornfield in heavy winter weather, instantly killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson, and pilot Roger Peterson. This app memorializes the final concert tour for these musicians and their pilot. This app. provides: - GPS navigation assistance / automatically records your visits. - Links to learn more - Sharing: Facebook, X, SMS, Email, etc.