I Bet You Didn’t Know These Iconic Music Moments Happened in Iowa

According to The Iowa State Historical Society, some of the first music in Iowa was wind and rain.  Mother Nature was a rock star back in the very early days. That was followed by the Meskwaki people and their native instruments, some made of cedar and animal skins.

Musicians have come a long way since those days, but we still use wood and some synthetic materials instead of animal skins for instruments. We also use the same notes, but we arrange them in unique ways.

Speaking of music, I'm glad you brought that up.  Iowa has some big names that have come from the state.  Plus, there have been a few anniversaries of big-time musical events that took Iowa to the musical history books.

Iowa's Musicians Taking the World By Storm

When you think about Iowa, you think of the music and history created here throughout the years.  There are many musical stars from Iowa. Here are a few of them:

Glenn Miller - According to PD Music, Glen Miller was born on March 1, 1904, in Clarinda, Iowa. He was a bandleader and one of the biggest names in music before his untimely death.  

Andy Williams - Wikipedia says he was born in Wall Lake, Iowa on December 3, 1927.  He was a huge star, and you've probably heard him recently if you listened to any Christmas music.  He recorded "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" in 1963, says Wikipedia, and it's still being played every Christmas season.

Hailey Whitters - This amazing country singer was born in Shueyville, IA and was the 2023 Academy of Country Music's New Female Artist of the Year.

Slipknot - Wikipedia says they are an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, which I will concur with.  They've had many members, so listing all their birthdates is unnecessary.  If you want to know when any of the members entered the world, click the Slipknot link right here.

Iowa Has Cemented Itself in Music History

Iowa has not only churned out some great music makers, but it is also solidly written into music history. There are some events that are more widely known than others. Those anniversaries have come again.

I'm guessing you're familiar with the Day the Music Died. Don McLean wrote a song about it, "American Pie."  If you're not familiar, Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Richie Valens all lost their lives in a plane crash following a show at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa.

The plane crashed, says Wikipedia, in a field a few miles outside Mason City in the early morning hours of February 3, 1959. Guitarist Waylon Jennings was spared after giving up his seat on the plane to J.P. Richardson (the Big Bopper). If it wasn't before, Iowa was now written into the musical history books.

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About a decade later, Iowa was in the news again musically when a British rock band played one gig here and thought, 'well, that's good enough.' Led Zeppelin played one show in Iowa City in the late '60s, and never again would they appear in the state as Led Zeppelin.

Read More: Led Zeppelin Played in Iowa Once and Never Returned

Iowa Got a Little Batty

I don't remember the first time I heard the story about Ozzy Osbourne biting the head off a bat, but I do know I was a kid when I learned about it. The Des Moines Register says it all took place on January 20, 1982.

If you didn't know, a real bat was thrown on stage, but Ozzy thought it was fake and took a bite. Music history was made again that night in Des Moines, although the Iowa detail is often left out.

Speaking of concerts and Des Moines, I'm glad you mentioned that.  Here are some great places to go if you're seeing a show.  Check them out here (below), and then in person. It would be awesome if you did!