The concerts are set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, in the Frost Fire lodge.
Paying tribute to a “golden era” of music, Robby Vee and his group will perform popular classics of Chuck Berry, Duane Eddy, The Ventures and Dick Dale, said Dave Paukert, arts events coordinator for Frost Fire Park.
During the performance, Vee will honor his father, Bobby Vee, and the memory of Buddy Holly and fellow rock and roll musicians who died in a plane crash on Feb. 3, 1959, near Clear Lake, Iowa, on their way to perform in Moorhead. At the last minute, Bobby Vee and his band stepped in to perform in their place, a turn of events that launched Vee’s national music career, Paukert said.
“It changed rock and roll history,” he said.
Don McLean referred to the date of the tragedy as “The Day the Music Died” in his 1971 song “American Pie.”
Also this weekend at Frost Fire, the music of other artists, such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, will be featured.
“It will be good ol’ foot-stompin’, hip-shakin’, a-wop-bop-allu bop rock-n-roll,” Paukert said.
The Grand Forks band, Mudbucket, will play “oldies music” from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Frost Fire.
Old-fashioned, 1950s-style burger baskets, $10 each, will be served for two hours before each performance.
Admission is $25 per person at the door. For advance tickets, $20 each, call the Frost Fire box office at (701) 549-3602 or visit the website www.frostfirepark.org .