Little Pete – KSO Val Air Hop

Grading: yellow wax,  M-

New installment in our Wax Nerd series!

Two local gems defined Des Moines’ teen rock years: “KSO Val Air Hop” by Little Pete and the fiery instrumental “Dominic’s Inferno” by Dominic’s Dominos. In the late 1950s, the Val Air Ballroom was the Thursday night spot for Iowa teens.

Started by DJ Don Bell in 1956, it thrived under “Frosty” Mitchell, who booked top rock acts and announced the tragic 1959 plane crash of Buddy Holly and his peers. Stars like Eddie Cochran, The Champs, and Conway Twitty graced its stage.

By 1960, radio station KSO and DJ Dick “Daddy-O” Vance took over, turning it into a rock’n’roll hotspot. Vance revamped KSO into a flashy Top 40 station with his “Swinging 7” DJs and the famous glass “fish bowl” studio. He even founded Sor-Va Records, producing local hits and promoting wild teen contests. KSO’s energy faded after its 1964 sale, and Vance later retired to Florida.

KSO Val Air Hop

Dominic’s Inferno