C3 Entertainment Celebrates Unveiling of Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper, and Buddy Holly Bronze Statues and Launch of ‘Three Stars Tribute’ Album in Clear Lake, Iowa

C3 Entertainment, Inc., the exclusive worldwide representative for the Ritchie Valens and Big Bopper brands, announces the official unveiling of three permanent life-size bronze statues honoring rock and roll icons Ritchie Valens, J.P. The Big Bopper Richardson, and Buddy Holly in Clear Lake, Iowa.

The unveiling happened on Friday August 7th, 2026. The monument stands in the center of Clear Lake’s Surf District, just steps away from the Surf Ballroom, where Valens, The Big Bopper, and Holly played their final concert together on February 2, 1959, during the Winter Dance Party Tour. The three bronze statues forever bring together the performers whose music transformed American culture.

Family members of Ritchie Valens, including his sisters Connie Valens and Irma Valens Norton, and his brother Mario Valens, attended the morning ceremony alongside civic leaders, community members, and music fans gathered from across the country.
The ‘Three Stars Tribute’ Album & Evening Concert
The statue unveiling also helped support the launch of the brand-new Three Stars Tribute album. Produced to honor the timeless music and enduring legacies of Valens, The Big Bopper, and Holly, the collection celebrates the foundational roots of early rock and roll while introducing these iconic songs to new generations of listeners.

Following the morning ceremony, the celebration moved inside the legendary Surf Ballroom on Friday evening for a sold-out concert dedicated to the new album. Headlined by legendary entertainer Pat Boone, the event featured live performances of tracks from the release by Mario R. Valens, Jimmy Angel, Sting Ray Anthony, Ernie Reyes, Downtown Michael Brown, and Jason Gutierrez and The JG3. The landmark evening concluded with a celebratory sock hop on the historic Surf Ballroom dance floor featuring music by The Whitesidewalls.
The brand-new Three Stars Tribute album can be purchased here. (Link to album)

https://www.goldlabelartists.com/product/three-stars-tribute-2-cd-set/

ABOUT C3 ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
C3 Entertainment, Inc. is a premier entertainment, licensing, and brand management company. Originally founded in 1959 as Comedy III Productions by the iconic comedy act The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Joe DeRita), the company was established to manage the legal, commercial, and merchandising footprint of the legendary trio. Over the decades, C3 has evolved into a diversified digital and global brand manager, expanding its prestigious portfolio to advocate for world-class entertainment properties, historic film catalogs, legacy music brands—including Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper—and contemporary lifestyle and celebrity personalities. Headquartered in Burbank, CA, C3 continues a proud multi-generational tradition of connecting timeless experiences with modern audiences across worldwide digital platforms, publishing, retail, and broadcast television.