Raue Center For The Arts is excited to welcome the official and number one tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in 2020! Experience the hit songs of the '50s era with John Mueller's "Winter Dance Party" at 8 p.m. on January 31, 2020.
"Over the past 30 years in the industry, I have seen a lot of wonderful artists portray Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper - but nobody does it better than this show," says Executive Director, Richard Kuranda. "John Mueller does it better than anyone in the business, and 'Winter Dance Party' is the only show of its kind to be endorsed by the Holly, Valens and Richardson estates."
Mueller's "Winter Dance Party" is the official live and authentic recreation of Holly, Valens and the Big Boppers' final tour and the only show endorsed by the Holly, Valens and Richardson estates. Each live concert performance includes over two hours of unbridled, high voltage entertainment featuring all the hit songs of the '50s era: "That'll Be the Day," "Peggy Sue," "Oh, Boy," "Rave On," "La Bamba," "Chantilly Lace" and many more!
"Winter Dance Party" has performed in front of over two million people on national TV for the Jerry Lewis Telethon, has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada at theatres, performing arts centers, ballrooms, corporate events, casinos and even the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with John Mellencamp, Marshall Crenshaw and others.
Highlights over the years have also included performing with Grammy Award winner Peter Nero and the Philly Pops Orchestra, receiving the keys to the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin from the mayor, playing in the legendary Surf Ballroom on the same day Holly, Valens and the Big Bopper did 50 years prior, and performing onstage with Buddy's widow, Maria Elena Holly, original Cricket band member, Niki Sullivan, and original "Winter Dance Party" guitarist and legendary Nashville producer, Tommy Allsup.
"Winter Dance Party" also performs with full orchestration for symphonic pops concert presentations. The show has performed with the Detroit Symphony, Columbus Ohio Symphony, Jacksonville Florida Symphony, Grand Rapids Michigan Symphony, Philly Pops Orchestra and many more.
Tickets start at $26 and may be purchased online at rauecenter.org or via the Box Office at 815.356.9212 or 26 N. Williams Street in downtown Crystal Lake.
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