Fifty years after rock ‘n’ roll legend Buddy Holly was killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, his spirit is still alive in the music he left behind, and the artists whose styles he influenced.

Celebrations honoring Buddy Holly are set to kick off this week at Clear Lake, Iowa, the site of the Winter Dance Party, which was the last concert Buddy Holly together with Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, who was known as The Big Bopper, attended last.

“We’re expecting 2,100,” said Jeff Nicholas, president of the historic Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. The ballroom is hosting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-sponsored 50 Winters Later, a weeklong commemoration of Holly’s life and legacy.

Although Holly’s recording career lasted less than two years, his influence on rock ’n’ roll is incalculable. His songs, including “Chantilly Lace,” “White Lightning,” “Peggy Sue” and “That’ll be the Day,” have been covered by countless bands and singers. He was also one of the first rockers to write his own songs. He also was known for his playful singing style, which included verbal “hiccups” and a sliding voice that ranged from falsetto to normal in a single refrain.

The Monday night concert will feature professed fans such as Graham Nash, Wanda Jackson and Los Lobos to honor Holly, Valens and Richardson.
In addition to the musical numbers, the event will also feature dance lessons, symposiums and art exhibits of ’50s-era icons, including photographs of Holly’s iconic glasses, which were found after the plane crashed in a nearby cornfield.