Surf Ballroom Surf Ballroom The Surf Ballroom (the Surf) is a Historic Rock and Roll Landmark at 460 North Shore Drive, Clear Lake, Iowa. The Surf is closely associated with the event known colloquially as "The Day the Music Died" - early rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson gave their last performances at the Surf on February 2, 1959 as part of the "Winter Dance Party Tour". On September 6, 2011, The Surf Ballroom was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The original Surf Ballroom opened on 17 April 1933. It
Ritchie Valens Memorial Album Valens; except where indicated Ritchie Valens Memorial Album Ritchie Valens Memorial Album is the first greatest hits compilation by Ritchie Valens, featuring his first three charted hits plus tracks from the previous three albums. The original album was issued with a black album cover and the same photo of Valens from his second album "Ritchie". A few months later, the album was retitled "Ritchie Valens, His Greatest Hits" and repackaged with a white album cover and a photo of Ritchie taken from his Del-Fi EP "Ritchie Valens Sings" (DFEP-1111). Both issues include the same back cover and album contents. All