THE ANNUAL GATHERING OF FANS OF OLD ROCK 'N ROLL AT THE SURF BALLROOM IN CLEAR LAKE, IOWA

List of Performers Appearing at the First 24
Annual Saturday Night Concerts, 1979-2002
plus some Associated Information


In the "No." column below, the sequence should not imply a continuous series for an official event with a single theme. What began as a tribute to Buddy Holly under its original management has not continued so through the years.
Numbers in parentheses refer to the order of appearance of the performers. Some day I hope to complete that chronology and also add links to more photos.


No. Year Days & Dates Name(s) of Overall
Event and/or the
Saturday Night Concert
Performers Main MC
1 1979 Sat.,
Feb. 3
The Tribute to Buddy
Holly Concert
Jimmy Clanton (3)
Corn Fed (1)
The Drifters (5)
Del Shannon (4)
Niki Sullivan (part of 2 & 6)
The Whitesidewalls (2, 6)
Wolfman Jack
2 1980 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 1-2
Tribute II /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
Deputy Dawg
Rick Nelson and the
  Stone Canyon Band
Del Shannon
Niki Sullivan
The Whitesidewalls
Mad Hatter
3 1981 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 6-7
Tribute III /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
Carl Perkins
The Rocket 88's
Del Shannon
Niki Sullivan
The Whitesidewalls
Mad Hatter
4 1982 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 5-6
Tribute IV /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
The Rockin' Ricochettes
Del Shannon
Niki Sullivan
Bobby Vee
The Whitesidewalls
Mad Hatter
5 1983 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 4-5
Tribute V /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
Buddy Knox
The Rockin' Ricochettes
Tommy Roe
Niki Sullivan
Bobby Vee
The Whitesidewalls
Mad Hatter
6 1984 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 3-4
Tribute VI /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
Buddy Knox
The Rockin' Ricochettes
Tommy Roe
Niki Sullivan
Bobby Vee
The Whitesidewalls
Mad Hatter
7 1985 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 1-2
Tribute VII /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
The Diamonds
Gary Lewis
The Rockin' Hollywoods
Tommy Roe
Paul Waters
Mad Hatter
8 1986 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 7-8
Tribute VIII /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
Freddy Cannon
The Rockin' Ricochettes
Johnny Tillotson
Bobby Vee
Paul Waters
Mad Hatter
9 1987 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 6-7
Tribute IX /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
The Rockin' Ricochettes
Del Shannon
Johnny Tillotson
Bobby Vee
Paul Waters
Mad Hatter
10 1988 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 5-6
Tribute X /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
The Diamonds
Gary Lewis
The Rockin' Ricochettes
Bobby Vee
Paul Waters
Mad Hatter
11 1989 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 3-4
Tribute XI /
Buddy Holly Memorial Concert
Freddy Cannon
The Diamonds
The Rockin' Ricochettes
Bobby Vee
Mad Hatter
12 1990 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 2-3
Winter Dance Party Bill Dewey
The Drifters
Little Anthony
Johnny Tillotson
Paul Waters
The Whitesidewalls
Bob Hale
13 1991 Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 1-2
Winter Dance Party DC Drifters
Wanda Jackson
Carl Perkins
Jack Scott
The Sun Rhythm Section
Ernie Valens
Bill Griggs
14 1992 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 6-8
Buddy Holly Tribute '92 The Crickets
Bo Diddley
Ar Stevens and the Ricochettes
Bobby Vee
The Whitesidewalls
Bobby Vee
15 1993 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 4-6
Buddy Holly Tribute '93 Mike Berry
The Crickets
Sonny Curtis
Frankie Ford
Ar Stevens and the Ricochettes
Bobby Vee
Paul Waters
Jason D. Williams
?
16 1994 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 3-5
Buddy Holly Tribute '94 Tommy Allsup & Willy Redden
The Blue Caps & Graham Fenton
The Crickets
Bill Dewey
Narvel Felts
The Fireballs
Glen Glenn
Don McLean
Niki Sullivan
Ernie Valens
The Whitesidewalls
Jason D. Williams
Bob Hale
17 1995 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 2-4
Tribute to Buddy Holly The Crickets
The Fantastic Convertibles
The Shirelles
Bobby Vee
Jason D. Williams
Bobby Vee
18 1996 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 1-3
Buddy Holly Tribute '96 /
Winter Dance Party
The Crystals
The Crickets
Denny & the DC Drifters
The Diamonds
Jason D. Williams
?
19 1997 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Jan. 30-31 and
Feb. 1
Buddy Holly Tribute '97 /
Winter Dance Party
Freddy Cannon
The Crickets
Nanci Griffith
The Shirelles
Johnny Tillotson
Bobby Vee
Bob Hale
20 1998 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 5-7
1998 Winter Dance Party /
Buddy Holly Tribute
The Diamonds (2)
The Fantastic Convertibles (1)
Frankie Ford (3)
Tommy Roe (4)
Bobby Vee (5)
Jason D. Williams (6)
Bobby Vee
21 1999 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 4-6
"Tribute XX" /
40th Anniversary
Winter Dance Party
Freddie Cannon (4)
The Crickets (6)
The Fireballs (1)
Nanci Griffith (part of 6)
Chris Montez (3)
J. P. Richardson, Jr. (part of 6)
The Roses (part of 5 & 6)
Bobby Vee (5)
The Vees (2)
Bob Hale
22 2000 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 3-5
Surf into 2000 /
Winter Dance Party
The Dixie Cups (5)
The Fantastic Convertibles (1)
Gary Lewis and the Playboys (2)
J. P. Richardson, Jr. (6)
Rockin Robyn (3)
The Tokens (4)
Mad Hatter
23 2001 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Feb. 1-3
Winter Dance Party 2001 The Crickets (7)
The Fantastic Convertibles (1)
The Fireballs (2)
Brian Hyland (4)
Johnny Preston (5)
J. P. Richardson, Jr. (8)
Bobby Vee (6)
The Vees (3)
Scott Anderson
and Randy
Chesterman
24 2002 Thu., Fri. & Sat.,
Jan. 31 and
Feb. 1-2
Winter Dance Party 2002 Tommy Allsup & Carl Bunch (6)
Scott Anderson (7)
Freddy Cannon (4)
The Crystals (3)
The Drifters (Charlie Thomas) (10)
J. P. Richardson, Jr. (5)
Rockin Robin (1)
Tommy Roe (9)
The Tokens (2)
Ernie Valens (8)
Scott Anderson
and
Mike Franklin

THE REUNION CONTINUES! In the following years, the Surf Ballroom presented Legend Fest 2003
and a series of 50s in February events; click here. Contact the Surf directly for official information.


"  Go back to the main page.
"  Go on to 1979, 1999, 2000,
    2001 and 2002.

This site was originally put on the web on 2/22/98, and
this page was last modified on 10/3/17 at 4:30 PM
with correction of some links.
John Lindquist: homepage&e-mail, complete site outline.