2020 Winter Dance Party & Buddy Holly Tribute

Photo by Sharon Johnson, 1959
courtesy Historic Duluth Armory

It's been 61 years now since "the day the music died." For a number of years now the Armory Arts and Music Center has been hosting a Winter Dance Party memorial concert and tribute to Buddy Holly at this time of year. Dylan fans are aware of the connection Bob Dylan made with the iconic singer/songwriter here at the Duluth Armory in 1959.

Here are some links to fill in details of that event and the final days of a very young icon who influenced some of the most influential songwriters of the 60s, by which I mean Bobby Zimmerman (Dylan), John Lennon and Paul McCartney. (Trivia: When you listened to Words of Love on Beatles For Sale in 1964, how many of you were aware that this was a Buddy Holly cover?)

HERE IS A SET OF LINKS TO PAST STORIES WRITTEN ABOUT THE WINTER DANCE INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT FROM JIM HEFFERNAN'S BLOG.

In Memoriam: Buddy Holly Stood On These Floor Boards--60th Anniversary

More Buddy Holly Fingerprints: Not Face Away Never Seems to Fade

The Buddy Holly Winter Dance Party Tour Through Duluth (from the Jim Heffernan blog)

The Winter Dance Party, Dylan and American Pie

History and Nostalgia Embrace at the Winter Dance Party

Sunday Night's Blood Moon, Plus More Buddy Holly Memories and Insights

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MARK YOUR 

CALENDARS

Duluth Dylan Fest 2020

May 16-24

Snapshots from Our 60th Anniversary Dance Party @ The Sports Garden

Born Too Late brought back memories from before their time.

Sunday evening we celebrated the 60th Anniversary of Buddy Holly's Dance Party at the Armory. Born Too Late opened the show, featuring lead singer Rokkyn, Bella lead guitar, Taylor on bass and Traxx on the drum it. And the kids were all right, warming up the crowd with some old time favorites--Burning Love, Be My Baby, Folsom Prison Blues and Johnny B Goode.

Todd Eckart & his team then rolled out an hour of rockin' tunes from the 50s, followed by a second set of Buddy Holly originals. George (bass), Matt (drums) and a wailin' Jimi Cooper set peoples' feet to stompin' and rompin'...

If you couldn't be there, here's what you missed.
(Photos courtesy Michael K. Anderson unless otherwise designated.)

Smokin' Todd Eckart and his Roadhouse Boys packed the house.

Secret of their success? It was in the shoes. High tech & solid gold.

Photo courtesy Donald Jay Olson

Photo by Ed Newman, of Michael Anderson documentarian & winning dancers

Photo by the author

The temp here today is 40 below, a very cold morning and reminiscent of 60 years ago.

When Buddy Holly and the Winter Dance Party played at the Duluth Armory, it was weather these Texas and California boys could never have imagined. When the bus left Duluth that evening it was 20-below with a 40-below wind chill. Halfway across Wisconsin in the middle of nowhere the bus broke down. You can read about the rest of that frightening night ride here. Drummer Carl Bunch got frostbitten feet and was unable to play in Milwaukee the next evening.

Meantime, life goes on... Stay warm.

Only 10 Days till the Music of Buddy Holly Tribute Featuring Todd Eckart & His Band

And the joint was a-rockin', goin' round and round...  Photos Nelson French

We're already mid-January. Time to start thinking about the Winter Dance Party.

But First: A Correction. 
THE DOORS will not be opening for TODD ECKART as I originally announced. Rather, the doors will open at 5:00 p.m. at the Sports Garden in Canal Park with the show commencing at 5:30. BORN TOO LATE is the band that will open for Todd Eckart's Tribute to the Music of Buddy Holly and the Late 50's.

The event is 

Sunday January 27

@the Sports Garden

This is the 60th anniversary of that fateful Winter Dance Party Tour where Buddy Holly rolled into Duluth with a busload of stars that included Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup, drummer Carl Bunch, the Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson), Ritchie Valens and Dion and the Belmonts.

Hosted by the Armory Arts and Music Center the show is billed as A Benefit for the Historic Duluth National Guard Armory.

THE INVITATION READS:

Join us for an evening of great music and memories to celebrate the revitalization of the historic Duluth Armory and relive the energy of that cold night in 1959.

SILENT AUCTION - an amazing array of deals - come ready to bid!
DANCE CONTEST - dance your heart out!
COSTUME CONTEST - come dressed to impress!

Gonna party like its 1959. Superior Ballroom Dance Studio dancers

Todd Eckart and His Band will rock the night away! You don't want to miss this show!

Related Links

Bob Dylan covers Buddy Holly

A Winter Dance Party Re-Creation at Diamond Jo Casino

A very cool site featuring

Buddy Holly Discography

The Beatles sing Buddy Holly's Words of Love

Buddy Holly's Not Fade Away & Five Covers

Link to Facebook/Tickets by Eventbrite

Flashback Friday: History and Nostalgia Embrace at the Winter Dance Party

It's been 59 years since Buddy Holly and His Band graced the stage of the Duluth Armory. Join us to relive the energy of that cold night in 1959 with one of Duluth's best performers.

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THIS YEAR'S WINTER DANCE PARTY IS SUNDAY EVENING AT GRANDMA'S SPORTS GARDEN. JOIN US WITH YOUR DANCING SHOES ON.
DETAILS HERE. 

WHAT FOLLOWS 
IS REPRINTED FROM OUR 2016 POST LEADING UP TO THE WINTER DANCE PARTY.

It's remembered as "the day the music died." His name was Buddy Holly, and by age 23 he was making music history. Buddy Holly and the Crickets were the hottest thing in rock 'n' roll. Unfortunately, prodded by a financial pinch, they went on ill-advised, mid-winter road tour across the Northland that ended in an Iowa cornfield.

57 years ago Holly and his band signed on for a Winter Dance Party Tour that involved taking a bus on a zig-zag path between various cities in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. I'm not sure whose brilliant idea this was because mid-winter can be pretty inhospitable in these parts. When the bus broke down in Wisconsin it was 20 below, something Texans like Buddy Holly and Waylon Jennings weren't quite used to. At least those who live here know how to dress for it.

According to a Pamela Huey account written on the 50th anniversary of the Winter Dance Party Tour, it was a tour from hell. When the band pulled out from the Duluth Armory, their 9th gig in nearly as many days, they were exhausted and pretty tired of sleeping on hard seats sitting upright. The only thing worse would be not sleeping at all and that's exactly what they got when the bus broke down while heading through the Wisconsin darkness about ten miles south of Hurley. The temps had now plunged to 30 below with a wind chill on top of that.

To say Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, Waylon Jennings, Dion and crew were underdressed is an understatement. They built a fire and tried to stay warm enough to stay alive. Huey describes it as "the day the music almost died."

This breakdown probably played a significant role in the decision a couple days later that cost Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens their lives. "The heck with this bus. Let's rent a plane," someone must have said.

Having done a fair share of winter flying out of the Duluth airport, I know that the airlines take great pains now to make sure the plane is safe for travel. Once everyone is boarded, the plane taxis over to where it can be hosed down with de-icer. I'd put money on it that Buddy Holly's plane had not gotten that kind of attention.

The dance parties were fun, but all that winter travel took its toll. Valens, who was from Califronia, hadn't even packed a winter coat. He knew music better than he knew geography.

You can read more here about that Tour From Hell.

Bob Dylan was in the crowd the night Buddy Holly and the band performed in Duluth's Historic Armory. Unlike the performing visitors from down south, Dylan and the others knew how to dress this time of year. They'd lived here all their lives. And unlike the band, which rolled off into the brutal darkness in an ice cold bus, Buddy Holly's fans went home to warm beds, made even warmer by memories of the music that moved their feet and their souls.

Front ro L to R: Amy Grillo, Gene Lafond, Lonnie Knight, Gary Lopac

Next weekend is the 57th anniversary of the Winter Dance Party concert that took place here in Duluth's Armory and once again the lineup is stellar with music by Lonnie Knight and the Travellons. The concert is a fund-raiser for the Historic Armory. Once again the Dance Party will return to Sacred Heart up on Positively 4th Street. If you need a place to park, the Damiano Center lot is available across the street.

In addition to Lonnie and friends, Todd Eckart is also on the bill. Congrats to Todd for being voted best local band/musician in the 2016 Reader Awards poll. He's in his stride now.

You can read about last year's Dance Party here.

For more about The Buddy Holly Story visit this MPR page.

Here's the place to go for tickets to next weekend's event.

If you're planning to go, add to the fun by inviting your Facebook friends.

It will be another great event not to miss.

EdNote: Lonnie Knight performed with his band in the Historic Armory back in the day. His dream is to perform there once again.... 

You Should Have Seen Them Dance (Dance Party Aftermath)

The bands were superb, but it was the dancers who made last night's 56th Anniversary of the historic Duluth Armory Winter Dance Party so special. As Todd Eckart, who opened, and The Travelons filled Sacred Heart Cathedral with the sounds of Buddy Holly and the Crickets and other late 1950's music, it was immediately apparent who had come with their dancing shoes on. Not only dancing shoes, but dancing attire, many competing for the Best 50's Costume Contest. The pair voted best dancers were not so attired, but simply displayed their moves with a striking energy while wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

These folks not there in 1959.

As anticipated, there were a number of people present last night who were present in 1959 with the original Winter Dance Party rolled into town. One of these was Jerry Schell who was a freshman that year. He and a friend arrived with cans of Hamm's Beer in their pockets. They got there early and saw Bobby Price. Unfortunately, after about an hour, and before Buddy Holly ever took the stage, they were caught and evicted.

Schell said the biggest dance party he ever went to was the following year when Roy Orbison played. There was a gal there who was jumping up and down in front of him at that one, and needless to say she must have caught his eye because eventually he married her. They have been married almost fifty years.

Gary Lopac, Lonnie Knight, Gene LaFond

I learned that local musician Jim Hall once opened for Lonnie Knight & the Jokers Wild in the late 60s. Lonnie was here last night with the Travelons, and has a heart for the Armory Arts cause.

Duluth News Tribune editor and columnist Jim Heffernan was on hand for a portion of the evening. Heff said he was 19 when the event came down. He said that the Winter Dance Party of 1959 provided a lot of material to draw on for his columns over the years, especially after Dylan mentioned its influence in a Grammy acceptance speech.

At a certain point in the evening Billy Hallquist was acknowledged and thanked for his contributions to the music scene of Minnesota, especially the annual Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan concerts, and the raising of awareness for the Armory renovation vision. (Or better, the Armory resurrection.)

The band was great, the music was fun, from That'll Be The Day and Peggy Sue to Oh Donna and La Bamba... and everything in between. I have a sneaking suspicion this is an event we'll like see again next year. Just thinkin'.

For a brief moment in time it was old fashioned rock 'n roll heaven.

The Reader's Best of the Northland Party and the AAMC's Winter Dance Party

Master of Ceremonies, Publisher Bob Boone

I got invited to two parties that were slated for this week. The Reader held a party to celebrate their Best of the Northland edition in which readers select their favorite romantic getaways, restaurants and even Best Cop. This event was Wednesday so you missed it, but it was a good first effort by the Bob Boone and the Reader team. The second is tomorrow night's Winter Dance Party celebrating the 56th Anniversary of the 1959 Winter Dance Party event that featured, among other stars, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.

The Reader's Best of the Northland 1st Annual Awards Ceremony was held at the Dubh Linn Irish Pub in the back room where the pub's stand up comedy shows are held. It was a well-meaning attempt to honor some of the recipients of this year's reader-elected Best of the Northland people and businesses. The catered affair, which included drinks and was intended to be semi-formal, would have benefited from a rehearsal. The list of winners and runners-up was lengthy and winners were invited to "say a few words" on top of that.

Veikko and Jason of Wood Blind

Veikko and Jason of Wood Blind had been pressed into service to be the evening's entertainment, which should have preceded the award ceremony. As it was, the duo performed a couple brief numbers shortly after nine as a form of intermission. Considering the event was slated for 7-9 and the list of winners remained only cut by half, you knew this was going to be a longer night than planned. It wasn't till after ten when Wood Blind finally got to perform, but the room had fairly cleared out as most who were there had to go to work in the morning.

This won't be the case for tomorrow night's Winter Dance Party, unless you're pulling an early shift at Wal-Mart. You can stay as late as you like. Buddy Holly will not be there this year, but I just learned that there's a Buddy Holly Hologram that will be going on tour next year in Texas, and eventually the world. If Nelson French has his way, next year we'll be dancing to the real thing.

Tomorrow, however, will feature Todd Eckart, whose name has been popping up quite a bit lately. He puts on a great show and makes you want to move your feet. Or so I heard. Eckart will be followed by the Travelons, a team comprised of several of the featured performers from last year's Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan, which was a phenomenal show. Here's where you get your tickets.

Rumor has it that quite a number of folks will be on hand who were at that first Winter Dance Party here, including DNT columnist and local writer Jim Heffernan. If you're needing to catch your breath now and then, you'll find some good company to share nostalgic memories if so inclined. There will also be a dance contest, and a best 50's costume award.

Meantime... put your dancin' shoes on.

Drawing names for "must be present to win" prizes.

P.S. Be sure to pick up your copy of this week's Reader to see the Best of the Northland winners from all the categories. It's a great way to get ideas for where you might like to go on your next day, or your next adventure.