A South Korean film crew was in Clear Lake April 13th. They are featuring the Surf Ballroom and crash site memorial in their documentary covering music history in America.
The crew received a personal tour of the Surf’s rich history by Executive Director Laurie Lietz, who was also interviewed for the film. The Surf Ballroom is known world wide as the historic final concert site of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, & J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. Now on the National Register of Historic Places and a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark, the Surf is fully restored to it’s art deco splendor and continues to host a full lineup of concerts.
Organized by the US State Department, the Seoul Broadcasting System’s documentary also visited Memphis, Tennessee (Elvis Presley), Clarksville, Mississippi (Juke Joint Festival), and were heading to Duluth, Minnesota (Bob Dylan), Chicago, Illinois (jazz producers & recording studios), before finishing up at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio.
After touring the Surf, the crew visited the plane crash site memorial just north of Clear Lake’s city limits. There is a memorial for the three stars and their pilot, Roger Peterson.