Surf Ballroom announces 2020 Winter Dance Party lineup

(Above) Marty Stuart will headline the Saturday night lineup of the Winter Dance Party

Featuring all-star performers greatly influenced by Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper’s musical era, the historic Surf Ballroom®  announced the lineup for its 2020 Winter Dance Party.

The world-renowned event will be held Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the legendary ballroom in Clear Lake.  The event will feature such stars as country/rockabilly legend Marty Stuart, Bowzer from Sha Na Na and The Kingsmen.

Tickets will go on sale at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26. The three-day pass, good for all Winter Dance Party activities at the Surf, will be $135. Individual night general admission tickets, new this year, will go on sale Jan. 7 if available.

“Once again, we’re very proud to present such a star-laden lineup,” said Jeff Nicholas, president of the Surf Ballroom Board of Directors. “Every year since 2009’s 50 Winters Later concert, we have fielded more and more requests from contemporary artists who have been influenced by Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. ‘The Big Bopper’ Richardson. The event has transitioned to a celebration of their legacies and a showcase proving that the music did not die, but has continued to spread to this day. We are proud to host this annual tradition and can’t wait to see how these legends leave their mark upon our Winter Dance Party fans.”

Each night’s program will feature major headliners, including:

• Thursday: The Kingsmen,

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Joey Dee, Little Peggy March and Austin Allsup.

•Friday: Bowzer’s Rock & Doo Wop Sock Hop, featuring Bowzer, from Sha Na Na fame and his band, the Stingrays; Rocky & The Rollers; and special guests Johnny Contardo, formerly of Sha Na Na, and original Comet, Joey Ambrose.

•Saturday: Marty Stuart, Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, Albert Lee, Headcat 13 and special appearances by Narvel Felts, Linda Gail Lewis and Sonny West.

“Most of these entertainers have been performing since they were teenagers, and they remain keystones of the entertainment world today,” said Shane Cooney, producer of the Winter Dance Party. “They can really bring it, and I’m sure our audiences will love what they see and hear. I know our board and staff are super- excited.”

Headlining the Saturday night show and the Winter Dance Party lineup is Marty Stuart, who is living, breathing country music history, known for his traditional style and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music. Along with his successful solo career, he has played alongside legends from Johnny Cash to Lester Flatt, who discovered him, to Merle Haggard, with whom he appeared at a memorable concert at the Surf Ballroom in 2015.

Also featured Saturday will be: Albert Lee, whom Eric Clapton called his favorite guitar player; Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, who have recorded 14 albums with music pulled from rockabilly, rock ’n’ roll, honky- tonk, rhythm and blues, soul and doo-wop; and special guests Narvel Felts, Linda Gail Lewis, billed as the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll, and Sonny West, who co-wrote two of Buddy Holly’s biggest hits, “Oh, Boy!” and “Rave On.”

Friday is traditionally Sock Hop night at the Winter Dance Party, and this year will feature the ultimate sock hop host, Bowzer of Sha Na Na, who will bring Bowzer’s Rock and Doo Wop Sock Hop to the Surf Ballroom for the first time. He will be featured with his band, The Stingrays.

Friday evening will also feature Rocky & The Rollers, best known as the touring band for Bowzer’s Rock and Roll Party; and special guests Johnny Contardo, an original member of Sha Na Na, and original Comet Joey Ambrose, who was the saxophone player for Bill Haley and the Comets in 1954 and 1955, most notably playing on the famous recording, “Rock Around the Clock.”

Thursday night can’t help but turn into a big party with The Kingsmen as headliners. Hear the first few licks of “Louie Louie,” and you know you’re hearing one of the greatest party songs of all time. In total, The Kingsmen charted 11 single releases from 1963 to 1968 and five consecutive albums from 1963 to 1966. Also featured will be Joey Dee, whose band, Joey Dee and the Starliters, is best known for its million-selling recording, “Peppermint Twist,” in 1961; Little Peggy March, known for such hits as “I Will Follow Him”; and Winter Dance Party favorite Austin Allsup, son of late Cricket Tommy Allsup.

Advance tickets for the 2020 event will be sold for $135 each, and are valid for the evenings of Thursday, Jan. 30, through Saturday, Feb. 1. Both tickets and seating for the event will be sold on a first- come, first-served basis. Seating for the event is priced at $100 for a four-person booth, $150 for a six-person booth and $250 for a table which seats 10 people. A minimum of 4 tickets must be purchased to reserve a 4-person booth, 6 tickets to reserve a 6-person booth and 10 tickets to reserve a 10-person table on the floor. The booths and tables will be reserved for all three evenings of entertainment (Thursday through Saturday evenings).

All tickets for the event are non-refundable and the entertainment lineup is subject to change. Tickets and seating reservations may be purchased online at the Surf Ballroom’s website (www.surfballroom.com) or by calling the Surf’s box office at (641) 357-6151 beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

For the most current information about the event, please visit: winterdanceparty.surfballroom.com. All inquiries regarding this event should be directed to the Surf Ballroom & Museum by calling (641) 357- 6151 or by email at [email protected]. Ticket orders and seating reservations are not accepted through the mail or fax.

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