Surfin' in Iowa

I am in Clear Lake, Iowa where the temps are hovering around zero, but the sun is shining on the glittering snow. Sounds romantic, right? Well, nothing romantic about the Mason City Holiday Inn, but everything romantic about the Surf Ballroom. The Surf is the last place where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper performed before they died in a plane crash. Not only that, but the Surf is a tremendous venue all around and has recently become a non-profit entity. Why am I here? It's the fiftieth anniversary of the day "the music died," and the Rock Hall is co-hosting a series of events, from classes to symposiums to concerts, honoring those legends and their legacies. It's a tremendous program, and exhuasting, but it's truly amazing. This is such a landmark in American cultural history, and I am so fortunate to be part of it. I have met and spent time with Bobby Vee, the Fireballs, Maria Elena Holly (Buddy's widow), Ritchie's family, and others. Graham Nash, Sir Timothy Rice, Bob Hale, Jimmy Clanton, Wanda Jackson, Los Lobos, and others are trickling in, and are participating in concerts and panels. It's surprisingly magical, and extremely emotional. These are some of the legends who shaped the history of rock and roll, and I am excited to meet them.