Clear Lake (Iowa) made canals and harbors on the northern shore of the lake. Clear Lake is also home to the historic Surf Ballroom which was where Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens made their last performance on Feb. 3, 1959 before being killed hours later in a tragic plane crash. Often Feb. 3, 1959 is referred to as "The Day the Music Died" as highlighted in the Don McLean hit "American Pie." Clear Lake (Iowa) Clear Lake is the name of a natural spring fed body of water located in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa near Clear Lake, Iowa. It is
American Pie (song) the video. Credits and personnel adapted from "American Pie" single liner notes. American Pie (song) "American Pie" is a song by American singer and songwriter Don McLean. Recorded and released on the "American Pie" album in 1971, the single was the number-one US hit for four weeks in 1972 and also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. In the UK, the single reached number 2, where it stayed for 3 weeks, on its original 1971 release while a reissue in 1991 reached No. 12. The song was listed as the No. 5 song on the RIAA project