Day Music Died Feb 3 1959 A Music Tragedy
Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Ritchie Valens Die in A Plane Crash
By John Gavin,
Monday, February 2, 2026
Music Legends Buddy Holly (22), Ritchie Valens (17), J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) (28) and their plane pilot Roger Peterson (21)were all killed in a terrible plane crash shortly after take off and landed in a farm field north of Clear Lake, Iowa.This is the 67th Anniversary of the tragedy and it's still fresh in many peoples minds. The music artists were on their way to their next show in Moorhead, Minnesota after performing the night before at The Winter Dance Party at the Surf in Clear Lake.Here are some photos to remember the terrible Tragedy: