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Clearlake, Iowa, USA
1999 - 2004 & 2007
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Here are some of my pictures from my visits to Clearlake, Iowa. I go as a member of the British Buddy Holly Society and we visit the legendary Surf Ballroom, the venue where Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson "the Big Bopper" and Ritchie Valens played their last concert on the evening of February 2nd 1959. They celebrate the music of these three stars and of the 50s in general every first weekend in February and have done since 1979.
My first visit was to the 40th anniversary in 1999. I made further trips in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2007. It's a great few days in a charming little town which allows meeting up with friends, both old and new; those involved in Buddy's music yesterday and today; and those who aren't musicians but fans of the legend.
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Buddy with Peggy Sue Gerron - yes, the real Peggy Sue!
Peggy Sue is an iconic lady in Rock 'n' Roll with 2 very famous songs about her: Peggy Sue & Peggy Sue Got Married, not forgetting the film of the same name. |
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I had a great evening in the Surf. I had performed a little and Bobby Vee had done a great spot with Tommy Allsup. A local man from Clearlake was a teenager and in the Surf on the night of February 2nd 1959. He was given the 45 that Bobby is holding and brought it into the dressing room. It was one of a few promos handed out on the night and signed by Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens and Dion. Absolutely priceless! |
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Connie, Mario & Irma - Ritchie Valens' brother & sisters |
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Buddy Walker & Ernie Valens, Ritchie Valens' nephew.
Ernie's rendition of "Donna" is second only to his uncle. |
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Buddy with Gary & Ramona Tollett, backing singers on
"That'll Be The Day",
and have to be one of the nicest couples in the history of Rock 'n' Roll! |
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Buddy & Denni Farland at the Brit Lunch at the Best Western Hotel in Clearlake, Iowa. |
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Tommy Allsup (guitar on "Heartbeat" & "It's So Easy"), Buddy Walker, Larry Welborn (double bass on "That'll Be The Day"), and good friend Mike Delf. |
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Buddy Walker & Robert Reynolds, the bass player with The Mavericks |
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Buddy Walker with singer Nanci Griffith.
Nanci doesn't do autographs after concerts as I found out in Cambridge, UK. We're here at the Best Western hotel in Clearlake, Iowa and, after another glass of champagne, I got this photograph taken by my good mate Clive Harvey. |
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The late Niki Sullivan, the 4th Cricket, & Buddy Walker |
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Buddy Walker with The Crickets in London 2001:
Joe B Mauldin, Sonny Curtis & Jerry Allison |
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Jay P Richardson, "The Big Bopper" Jnr, & Buddy Walker |
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Buddy in the Surf Ballrom in 2007 with The Crickets |
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Buddy with George Tomsco & Stan Lark from the Fireballs |
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Buddy with Johnny Rogers from Chicago, the Best Buddy Tribute, and Tommy Allsup |
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Buddy's very good friends Dan & Nancy Dunshee from Denver, Colorado. Buddy stayed in their lovely home in 2001 and they drove up to Clearlake, Iowa together. |
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In the lobby at the Super 8 Motel in Clearlake with, L-R: Colin, Dan, Nancy, Clive and Buddy. |
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Buddy with the Pink Ladies at the Brit Lunch at the Best Western Hotel in Clearlake.
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Buddy having fun at the Brit lunch at the Best Western Hotel, Clearlake, Iowa |
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Buddy Walker with the phone that made the last call home |
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Buddy Walker during the sound check on stage at The Surf Ballroom |
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Outside the legendary Surf Ballroom in Clearlake, Iowa, the last venue for Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. |
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The Memorial outside the Surf Ballroom dedicated to the three stars.
Note that it rightly mentions the pilot, 21 year old Roger Peterson from Clearlake, Iowa. |
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Buddy Walker outside the Surf Ballroom with the memorial which is situated just to the right of the main entrance to the Surf. |
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This is Ken Paquette. He is the artist/sculptor of the Monument at the Crash Site.
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This is Jerry Dwyer of Dwyers Flying Services, Mason City, Iowa. Jerry owned the ill-fated plane. My biggest thrill was on a Sunday afternoon in February 2004 when Jerry took me flying over Clearlake, along with my very good friends Denni Farland and Ian Higham, in a little Cessna. It was 45 mins in my life I will never forget. Got it on Video. He really is a super guy! |
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Buddy with Elwyn Musser in 2007. Elwyn was the photographer with the Mason City Globe-Gazette who took all the black & white photos at the crash site in 1959. He is holding the actual camera he used! This camera was mounted on a plinth and presented to him on his retirement. |
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Buddy Walker at the crash site with the memorial. |
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The Memorial at the crash site.
They say this is where Rock 'n' Roll stopped. Well, maybe for a while. It certainly is a very lonely place and has a sadness out there. |
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Buddy, Denni Farland & Graham Steele at the crash site. |
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Buddy at the crash site at 7 mins past 1 am on 3rd February 1999. |
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Another trip out to the crash site. Park the car roadside and walk the quarter mile along the fence line to the Monument. |
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Out at the crash site filming "Rock Shrines" with Guy Gilbert and Kate Patten from BBC TV. |
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I think Iam trying to say: "I cant go much longer, my fingers are freezing up!" |
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On the road in the USA.
This is the best paint job on a Chrysler PT Cruiser. The couple who owned this car got married on stage in the Surf, February 1999. |
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Having stayed overnight with Denni and Patty Farland at their home in Newton, Iowa we were on our way to Clearlake. Stopped at Ames for lunch. Met up with Hans Geopinger - he bought us all lunch. What a nice man! Pictured: Denni Farland, Me, Ian Higham, Nancy, Clive, Hans and Dan. |
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We drove up through the Colorado Rockies to the ski town of Vail. Incredible scenery. We went to visit Don Larsen, who lived there then. He had some great photos of the W.D.P. tour in '59 as well as some of the Everly Brothers. He was also a friend of John Denver. Pic shows Dan, Tasso, Clive, Me, Colin and Don Larsen. |
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After Clearlake, our journey back to Denver. Stayed at Super 8 Motel in Lincoln, Nebraska. Ate in Lincoln the night before at a diner called "Buzzard Billy's". Here loading, and getting ready to go: Colin, Tasso and Nancy. On the way back we took a detour to Cheyenne, Wyoming. |
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Journey back to Colorado. This is Ogallala, Nebraska. We stopped to gas up and fill the bin (eat). We ate at the "Cowboy's Rest". Clive (pictured) had a Buffalo burger. I was very proud of him! |
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