What a great thread! I was 10 years old and living in Moorhead. MN at the time. I do remember the news of the crash but wasnt particularly attuned to who they were, yet, I guess.
They were all heading to your home town for their next performance when the accident at Clear Lake occured.
50th Anniversary DOOMED"After the evening performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, the tour was scheduled for a ten-hour ride to Moorhead, Minn. CAG had arranged for a school bus to get them there, 440 miles away.
That was enough for Buddy Holly. He chartered a small plane to reach Moorhead. A warm hotel room, clean sheets and hot food would await him there. And he could take the groups’ dirty laundry for proper cleaning. Valens and Richardson, who was feeling ill, asked to fly along."