<Tr> <Th> Flight origin </Th> <Td> Mason City Municipal Airport, Iowa </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Destination </Th> <Td> Hector Airport, North Dakota </Td> </Tr> <P> On February 3, 1959, rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, together with pilot Roger Peterson . The event later became known as "The Day the Music Died", after singer - songwriter Don McLean so referred to it in his 1971 song "American Pie". </P> <P> At the time, Holly and his band, consisting of Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup, and Carl Bunch, were playing on the "Winter Dance Party" tour across the United States Midwest . Rising artists Valens and Richardson had joined the tour, as well . </P>

Who is the song the day the music died about