Some of the music may, indeed, have died Feb. 3, 1959, in a corn field between Mason City and Clear Lake in Iowa, but tribute artists strive to keep its memory alive.

“A Tribute to Buddy Holly and Richie Valens” will be performed at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, Albert Lea, Friday, Feb. 20, beginning 7:30 p.m.

A plane crash a half century ago took the lives of Holly and Valens, as well as early rock ‘n’ roll’s Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson and the plane’s pilot.

Don McClean may have been the very first modern tribute artist, when he recorded “American Pie,” an ode to the deaths of the rock music pioneers.

Now, tribute artists attempt to recreate the music made famous by the music legends and a new one is coming to Albert Lea.

“Richie Lee is new to us,” manager Patrick Rasmussen said.  “I’ve done two tributes to Buddy Holly in the past, but this is the first time Richie will be here.

“He’s played a lot of venues in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, so he is familiar to quite a few people,” Rasmussen said.

Lee, 19 of Des Moines, Iowa, was singing almost before he could talk, Rasmussen said.

At the age of 8 he won a Buddy Holly look-alike lip sync contest in Des Moines Iowa.

His interest in Holly began at the age of 6, listening to CDs.  He began taking guitar lessons at age 11 and drums at age 12.

He has performed on stage with Winter Dance Party drummer Carl Bunch, Holly backup singers the Roses, The Tolletts, Larry Welborn, and friend, the legendary, Peggy Sue Gerron, as well as Tommy Allsup.

When Lee first heard Holly’s music, he said he was instantly inspired. “It’s like his music stuck out more then anybody else’s on the radio,” the tribute artist said.

Tickets are $15 and are all general admission.

The Marion Ross Performing Arts Center box office will open at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 20; the auditorium will open at 6:45 p.m.; and the show begins at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available at Doyle’s Hallmark, Albert Lea, or call:  (507) 377 4372 for more information.