Iowa Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame Inductees

CLEAR LAKE, IA--A pair of people connected to North Iowa's most famous rock 'n roll show are about to be honored.

The Fifty Winters Later celebration at the Surf Ballroom last February in Clear Lake commemorated the final show of Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens in 1959.

Now the Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association Hall of Fame plans to induct 2 people who were there that night.

The Big Bopper is among 11 bands, 5 solo performers and 3 ballrooms that will be honored on Labor Day of this year.

The lone disc jockey this year will be former KRIB announcer Bob Hale.

He was working in Mason City at the time and was the master of ceremonies at the fateful show.

In 2008, Hale talked with us about a conversation he and his Kathy had with the Bopper in between shows at the Surf.

Kathy Hale and the Bopper's wife were both pregnant at the time.

"At one point little Chris moved, Kathy reached down to hold onto him," said Hale, "And Bopper looked over and said Kathy may I put my hand there? He said I miss doing this at home. He said when this happens and I talk to my wife and she says I wish you were here, so you could feel our child. He didn't know he had a boy coming along, also. I obviously choke up on this that was probably the saddest moment for me that night before the plane crash in that he wanted to be at home."

We contacted Hale at his home in Chicago on Tuesday and he said he still talks to the Bopper's son (Junior) about that conversation and he said "we lose it."

As far as the honor Hale joked he is "totally absolutely bored out his skull and couldn't care less."

On a serious note Hale said he is, "Extremely pleased and honored, it's strange in a way because it has to do with the death of the 3 performers and the pilot Roger Peterson,” who was one of his neighbors.

Hale said he feels good about the fact that the music continues and he was able to shine a spot light on the guys when he was a disk jockey at WLS-AM in Chicago during the early 1960's.

Hale is glad to be a part of the celebration held at the Surf Ballroom every year.

He said it also draws attention to the influence of a little 250 watt radio station almost at the end of the dial in North Iowa and that we could pack the Surf every Wednesday night.

"To be honored by Iowa makes me feel really good," said Hale, "That's a pretty good list of names of broadcasters and performers who have been honored by the Association. Many people think of Iowa as a cornfield, but we had a lot of good radio out of that state, we had a lot of fun."

Hale said he is looking forward to being at the Surf this February and the induction ceremony over the Labor Day weekend.

"I have prepared a 3 and a half hour speech," Hale joked, "on the history of my mother’s family and successful cousins."