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 club, "Tommy's Heads Up Saloon", in Dallas in 1979. The club was named for the fateful coin toss between Valens and him twenty years prior. "Boogie with Stu" from Led Zeppelin's "Physical Graffiti" album was inspired by Valens' song "Ooh, My Head". It did not credit Valens or Bob Keane, instead crediting Valens' mother. Eventually, a lawsuit was filed by Keane, and half of the award went to Valens' mother, although she was not part of the suit. On May 11, 1990, 31 years after his death, Ritchie Valens was finally honored. A star baring his name was unveiled on