These 7 Famous People Died In Iowa... And Here's Exactly Where It Happened

Buddy Holly, a famous rock and roll artist of the 1950's, had just gotten done with a concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake on the night of February 3, 1959, when his plane crashed into a nearby field. It killed him and everyone on board. That day would forever be remembered as the "Day the Music Died," and there is now a memorial set up in the field where Holly died. Holly, who was 23 at the time of his death, was best known for his iconic glasses, and for his songs "Peggy Sue," and "That'll Be The Day." Holly was inducted with the inaugural class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, and was later ranked at number thirteen on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Artists."

J.P. Richardson, better known as "The Big Bopper," was another rock and roll star who died in the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly. He was best known for his Rockabilly look, and his song "Chantilly Lace."

Grant Wood, a famous artist best known for his "American Gothic" painting, died of pancreatic cancer in Iowa City on February 12, 1942. Wood was born in Anamosa and lived in Cedar Rapids most of his life. He is one of the most famous artists in the state, and his art is recognized across the globe.

Rocky Marciano was the inspiration for the iconic movie series, "Rocky Balboa," which featured Sylvester Stallone as Rocky. In life, Rocky was an undefeated professional boxer and World Heavyweight Champion from 1952 to 1956. He is the only person to hold the heavyweight title without a bout tie or defeat during his entire career. Rocky retired with a record of 49 - 0, which remains unbeaten to this day. On August 31, 1969, the eve of his 46th birthday, Rocky was flying in a private plane outside of Newton. There was some bad weather, and the pilot tried to set the plane down in a field, but hit a tree, killing everyone on board.