News : Strait Run: Schmidt family approaches first decade; sings at historic Surf

The guys of the Schmidt Family -- Victor and sons Stephen, 16; Samuel, 15; and Gabriel, 12 -- have been singing together for nearly a decade now. The quartet already has a busy schedule for 2014, says wife/mom/tour manager Michelle Schmidt.

Now called Strait Run -- the one name they all could agree on, says Michelle -- the band recently played a 50s-style music show at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, which music lovers know as the last concert site for Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, who were killed a few hours after the show, when their plane crashed shortly after taking off from the nearby Mason City Municipal Airport on Feb. 2, 1959.

Locally, Strait Run will play three times in June in Vinton; once at the dedication of Celebration Park on the evening of June 14, and twice during Party in the Park. They will perform on the courthouse lawn on Kids Night, Thursday, June 26, and at the Riverside Park band shell on June 27, before the Friday fireworks.

Michelle said the oldest videos she has of her husbands and sons singing together is from 2006, but they were singing before that.

The band plays mostly classic rock, although most of it is from the 1960s through 1980s (Gabe sang REO Speedwagon's "Take it On the Run" at the Farmers Market last Thursday). "Our new songs for the surf were in the 50's theme," says Michelle. New numbers for the quartet include: La Bamba, Oh Boy, Peggy Sue, Betty Lou Has a New Pair of Shoes, The Stroll, Betty and DuPree, Oh Donna and Run Around Sue. "Some other songs we have been working on are the break-up Song, "Take it on The Run" and "Radioactive," says Michelle. The band's Web Site includes a playlist as well as schedules for 2014 and recent years. See a video of Strait Run performing at the Surf Ballroom on June 7 below: [VIDEO]