Irvin Feld

Irvin Feld (May 9, 1918 – September 6, 1984) was a business entrepreneur who built a chain of record stores, promoted rock groups, produced concerts involving some of the biggest names in popular music. Feld was the person responsible for creating the ill-fated 1959 Winter Dance Party Tour throughout the American Midwest that included Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson, aka The Big Bopper. The tour route was poorly planned, zig-zagging across the Midwest in arctic weather in an old school bus that kept breaking down, eventually prompting Buddy Holly to privately hire a small plane to transport him to his next gig. Feld was also the head of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and founder of Feld Entertainment. He was a music promoter who is credited with discovering Paul Anka.