Buddy Holly Three autographs from 1959. On January 23rd 1959 Buddy Holly Richie Valens and The Big Bopper were performing the first date of their 'Winter Dance Party Concert Tour at the George Devine's Million Dollar Ballroom Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was a Friday night and despite the severe weather conditions, it was 17 below zero that night, 6000 people had crammed themselves in to the venue to see the chart topping Holly and the other acts. Two young girl fans excitedly watched the concert and at 10pm the show came to a close. Not quite ready to depart the two fans decided to meet their idols and when the opportunity arose they sneaked into the back stage area and pleaded with the Big Bopper to let them stay. In their excitement they had left their concert programs on their seats . After scrounging some scraps of paper they managed to get the autographs they so desired written with all that they had, an eyebrow pencil! The autographs come with a handwritten detailed letter from the lucky lady who met the three idols that night. The rarity of these signatures cannot be overstated, this was the 1st concert of the last eleven dates that Holly performed before the fatal plane crash that took the lives of these talented musical pioneers. The eighth date would bring a young Robert Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) to the edge of the stage to stand mesmerised by Holly. To have all three tragic acts from the same venue is in itself extraordinary, as is the story of how they were obtained.