In this episode our leading contributor, Gary Wells (soulrideblog.com), joins us to take an in-depth look at the Winter Dance Party tour of early 1959, and explore what led up to a critical midtour decision to charter a light plane for a late night, 300 mile flight from Mason City, Iowa, to Fargo, North Dakota. Around five miles northwest of Mason City Airport the plane crashed on private farmland, killing the pilot, Roger Peterson, along with his three passengers, touring musicians Buddy Holly, Jiles Perry ‘The Big Bopper’ Richardson, and Ritchie Valens.
DEC4 Podcast: Gary Wells - The Winter Dance Party
DEC4 Podcast: Gary Wells - The Winter Dance…
DEC4 Podcast: Gary Wells - The Winter Dance Party
In this episode our leading contributor, Gary Wells (soulrideblog.com), joins us to take an in-depth look at the Winter Dance Party tour of early 1959, and explore what led up to a critical midtour decision to charter a light plane for a late night, 300 mile flight from Mason City, Iowa, to Fargo, North Dakota. Around five miles northwest of Mason City Airport the plane crashed on private farmland, killing the pilot, Roger Peterson, along with his three passengers, touring musicians Buddy Holly, Jiles Perry ‘The Big Bopper’ Richardson, and Ritchie Valens.