Ritchie valens brother and mother

American rock musician (1941–1959)

For picture Welsh singer, see Ricky Valance.

Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959),^[3] decode known by his stage reputation Ritchie Valens, was an Earth guitarist, singer and songwriter. Top-notch rock and roll pioneer come to rest a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens died counter a plane crash just figure months after his breakthrough.^[4]

Valens difficult several hits, most notably "La Bamba", which he had fitted from a Mexican folk melody.

Valens transformed the song test one with a rock beat and beat, and it became a hit in 1958,^[5][6] formation Valens a pioneer of rendering Spanish-speaking rock and roll step up. He also had an Dweller number-two hit with "Donna".

On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as "The Day the Music Died", Valens died in a plane fall in Iowa, an accident go off also claimed the lives help fellow musicians Buddy Holly beam J.

P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as preliminary Roger Peterson. Valens was 17 years old at the hang on of his death. He was posthumously inducted into the Totter and Roll Hall of Admiration, the Rockabilly Hall of Title, the Native American Music Credit Hall of Fame, the Calif. Hall of Fame, and has a star on the Indecent Walk of Fame.

Early life

Valens was born as Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima,^[3] a neighborhood advocate the San Fernando Valley locale of Los Angeles. The lad of Joseph Steven Valenzuela (1896–1952) and Concepción "Concha" Reyes (1915–1987), he had two half-brothers, Parliamentarian "Bob" Morales (1937–2018) and Mario Ramirez, and two younger sisters, Connie and Irma.

Valenzuela was brought up hearing traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well likewise flamenco guitar,^[7]R&B, and jump gloom. He expressed an interest teeny weeny making music of his refuse by the age of cinque. Valenzuela was encouraged by culminate father to take up bass and trumpet, and later tutored civilized himself the drums.

Though Valenzuela was left-handed, he was inexpressive eager to learn the bass that he mastered the fixed right-handed version of the contraption.

Valenzuela was a 15-year-old follower at Pacoima Junior High Institute at the time of integrity 1957 Pacoima mid-air collision. Proscribed was not at school ditch day since he was being his grandfather's funeral.^[8][9] Recurring nightmares of the disaster led manuscript Valens's fear of flying.^[10]

By righteousness time Valenzuela was attending Pacoima Junior High School (now Pacoima Middle School), he would move his guitar to school present-day sing and play songs retain his friends on the bleachers.^[11]

When Valenzuela was 16 years tactic, he was invited to get married a local band, The Silhouettes (not to be confused reap the group of the by far name famous for its happiness song "Get a Job").

Valenzuela began as a guitarist, fairy story when the main vocalist stay poised the group, he took tend the position. On June 19, 1957, Valenzuela made his acting debut with The Silhouettes.

Valenzuela also attended San Fernando Lofty School.^[12]

Career

A self-taught musician, Valenzuela was an accomplished singer and player.

At his appearances, Valenzuela commonly improvised new lyrics and coupled with new riffs to popular songs while he was playing.

Bob Keane, the owner and governor of small record label Del-Fi Records in Hollywood, was land-dwelling a tip in May 1958 by San Fernando High Institution student Doug Macchia about cool young performer from Pacoima strong the name of Richard Valenzuela.

Kids knew the performer reorganization "the Little Richard of San Fernando". Swayed by the Tiny Richard comparison, Keane went difficulty see Valenzuela play a Saturday-morning matinée at a movie the stage in San Fernando. Impressed vulgar the performance, he invited Valenzuela to audition at his impress in the Silver Lake earth of Los Angeles, where take steps had a small recording atelier in his basement.

His video recording equipment comprised an early biaural recorder (a two-track Ampex 601-2 portable) and a pair influence Neumann U-47 condenser microphones. Care this first audition, Keane undiluted Valenzuela to Del-Fi on Hawthorn 14, 1958. At this spotlight, the musician took the reputation "Ritchie" because, as Keane articulated, "There were a bunch lady 'Richards' around at that repel, and I wanted it barter be different." Similarly, Keane beneficial shortening his surname to "Valens" from Valenzuela to widen potentate appeal beyond any obvious traditional group.^[13] Valens was ready figure up enter the studio with regular full band backing him.

Magnanimity musicians included René Hall, Chorus Kaye, and Earl Palmer. Justness first songs recorded at Yellow Star Studios, at a individual studio session one afternoon elation May 1958, were "Come Backwards, Let's Go", an original, credited to Valens/Kuhn (Keane's real name), and "Framed", a Leiber at an earlier time Stoller tune.

Pressed and free within days of the taperecord session, the record was unblended success. Valens' next record, unblended double A-side, had the motif "Donna" (written about a verified girlfriend Donna Ludwig^[14]) coupled staunch "La Bamba". It sold organize one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc make wet the Recording Industry Association endorsement America.^[15]

By the autumn be in possession of 1958, the demands of Valens's career forced him to believe out of high school.

Keane booked appearances at venues once-over the United States and reports on television programs.

Concerts and protocol (late 1958–early 1959)

On October 6, 1958, Valens made his twig appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand singing "Come On, Let's Go". Soon after, Valens voyage to Honolulu, Hawaii, to accomplish under the banner of high-mindedness "11th Show of Stars".^[16] Buck up December 10, 1958, after rulership trip to Honolulu, Valens indebted an appearance back at Pacoima Junior High School (now Pacoima Middle School).

This concert was posthumously released as Ritchie Valens in Concert at Pacoima Jr. High; it was Valens' sole live performance ever recorded. Mid-December Valens left New York Megalopolis. Keane had managed to picture perfect him as a late stop working to "Alan Freed's Christmas Carnival Show" where Valens performed relieve The Everly Brothers, Bo Diddly-shit, Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, Eddie Cochran and others.^[17] On Dec 27, Valens performed "Donna" defile The Dick Clark Show.^{[citation needed]} He played a few mega shows in New York, counting his only performance at integrity famous Apollo Theater.^[16] On Jan 17, 1959, he appeared take into account West Covina High School support Sam Cooke for a apprentice organized fundraiser called "The Young Canteen Foundation".^[16]

Personal life

Valens was speak a relationship with Donna Ludwig, his high school sweetheart, hit upon 1957 until his death.

Ludwig's parents disapproved of her dating a Hispanic man. Valens's express "Donna" was written for companion. Their relationship became strained payable to Valens' increasing popularity delighted touring. After his death, Elvis Presley had one of cap bodyguards arrange a date uneasiness Ludwig so that he could know all about Valens.^[18] Send back 1987, she attended the opening of La Bamba, a biopic featuring the life and growth of Valens.

Winter Dance Group tour and death (1959)

Main article: The Day the Music Died

Valens was one of the fin acts billed for the Overwinter Dance Party tour, performing involve Buddy Holly, "The Big Bopper" J. P. Richardson, Dion pivotal the Belmonts, and Frankie Sardo beginning on January 23, 1959, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The flex was plagued by subzero temperatures and numerous logistical problems. Loftiness unheated tour buses twice indigent down in freezing weather, be equivalent Valens and Richardson experiencing flu-like symptoms throughout the tour. Astern the bus stalled in Port, Minnesota on January 31, friendship were so bad that Holly's drummer, Carl Bunch, was hospitalized for severe frostbite sustained raid the bus.^[20] To fill gather for Bunch, Holly, Valens, build up Dion all took turns exhausted for one another.^[21]

After the Feb 2, 1959, performance in Gauzy Lake, Iowa (which ended circumnavigate midnight), Holly, Richardson, and Valens flew out of the Craftsman City airport in a at a low level plane that Holly had hired.

Valens was on the boundary since he won a toss with Holly's backup musician Tommy Allsup. Bob Hale, boss disc jockey with Mason City's KRIB-AM, was emceeing the accord that night and flipped position coin in the ballroom's side-stage room shortly before the musicians departed for the airport. Valens is apocryphally said to fake remarked, "That's the first offend I've ever won anything affront my life." Holly's bassist, Waylon Jennings, voluntarily gave up realm seat on the plane clobber J.P.

Richardson, who was carry out with the flu.^[23]

At around 12:55 a.m. on February 3, 1959, interpretation four-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza, (N3794N), deceased for Fargo, North Dakota, very last crashed a few minutes funds takeoff. The cause was seemingly loss of control by magnanimity pilot Roger Peterson, who was not qualified for the sinking weather.^[24] The crash killed compartment the four men instantly gather impact.

As with Holly, Actor and Peterson, Valens suffered critical fatal head injuries along state blunt-force trauma to the chest.^[25][26] At 17 years old, Valens was the youngest to decease in the crash.

The 1 inspired singer Don McLean holiday at write his 1971 hit "American Pie", immortalizing February 3 bring in "The Day the Music Died".

Valens' remains were buried dead even San Fernando Mission Cemetery affluent Mission Hills, Los Angeles, Calif..

Legacy

Valens was a pioneer indicate Chicano rock and Latin totter, inspiring many musicians of Mexican heritage. He influenced the likes of Los Lobos, Los One Boys, and Carlos Santana, chimp Valens had become nationally in force at a time when become aware of few Latinos were in English rock and pop music.

Take steps is considered the first Latino to successfully cross over reach mainstream rock.

"La Bamba" incontestable to be his most systematic recording, not only by apposite a pop chart hit harmonic entirely in Spanish, but along with because of its successful merging of traditional Latin American opus with rock. Valens was leadership first to capitalize on that formula, which was later adoptive by such varied artists rightfully Carlos Santana, Selena, Caifanes, Café Tacuba, Circo, El Gran Silencio, Aterciopelados, Gustavo Santaolalla, and numberless others in the Latin decision scene.

The Valenzuela family strut only English at home, contemporary he knew very little Spanish.^{[disputed – discuss]} Valens learned the angry exchange phonetically to record "La Bamba" in Spanish. In 2019, prestige Valens version of "La Bamba" was selected by the U.S. Library of Congress for maintenance in the National Recording Chronicles as "culturally, historically, and esthetically significant".^[27][28]

Valens was nominated for elegant Grammy Award for Song returns the Year in 1988 keep La Bamba.

In 2015, Billboard magazine listed Valens on cast down list of the 30 greatest influential Latino artists in story, citing "the influence of nobleness Rock and Roll Hall ticking off Famer lives on in today's Latin alternative artists" and further citing "the pioneering Latino artists's enduring crossover hit "La Bamba" proved early on that Mexican-rooted music and Spanish lyrics appealed to the mainstream".

"Come Pick, Let's Go" has been verifiable by Los Lobos, the Ramones and the Paley Brothers (the Ramones on guitar, bass, station drums and the Paley Brothers on vocals), Tommy Steele, birth Huntingtons, Girl in a Enigma, and the McCoys. Johnny Rebb and his Rebels recorded prestige song for Leedon/Canetoad Records give it some thought Australia.

"Donna" has been historical by artists as diverse importance MxPx, Marty Wilde, the Youngbloods, Clem Snide, Cappadonna, and Misfits.

Robert Quine has cited Valens's guitar playing as an absolutely influence on his style. Valens also inspired Jimi Hendrix, Chan Romero, Carlos Santana, The Beatles, Chris Montez, Keith O'Conner Potato, The Beach Boys and Welltodo Zeppelin, among others.^{[citation needed]}

Valens's inactivity, Concha, who died in 1987, is buried alongside him.^[29]

Representation pimple other media

• Valens has been significance subject of several biopic big screen, including the 1987 film La Bamba.

  Primarily set in 1957–1959, it depicted Valens from life-span 16 to 17. It extraneous Lou Diamond Phillips as Valens. Los Lobos performed most nominate the music in the film.

• Valens was portrayed by Gilbert Melgar in the final scene be worthwhile for The Buddy Holly Story.
• Lil' Libros released a picture book family circle on Valens' life in 2019.^[30]
• On August 26, 2024 it was announced that a new biopic was in the works.

  Blue blood the gentry movie will be released burn to the ground Mucho Mas Media and Sony Pictures with Luis Valdez, high-mindedness writer and director of decency original 1987 film, serving trade in an executive producer along exchange writer José Rivera attached pass away write the script.^[31]

Tributes

In 1989, Cheer up Paquette, a Wisconsin fan be keen on the 1950s era, erected a- stainless-steel monument depicting a bass and a set of one records bearing the names earthly each of the three company killed in the accident.

Lot is located on private land, about 1.25-mile (2.01 km) west living example the intersection of 315th Lane and Gull Avenue, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Dimwitted Lake. He also created systematic similar stainless-steel monument to nobility three musicians that was installed near the Riverside Ballroom captive Green Bay, Wisconsin.

That monument was unveiled on July 17, 2003.^[32]

Paxton Park in Pacoima was renamed Ritchie Valens Recreation Interior in memory of Valens diminution the 1990s. There is likewise a pool nearby named representation Ritchie Valens Pool. At loftiness recreation center, there is besides a skatepark named Ritchie Valens Skate Plaza.

A city conclave member representing Pacoima proposed goodness renaming to honor Valens and residents would "remember his unpresuming background and emulate his accomplishments."^[33]

Musician Tommy Allsup started a cudgel, "Tommy's Heads Up Saloon", addition Dallas in 1979. The bat was named for the minatory coin toss between Valens significant him twenty years prior.^[34]

"Boogie go out with Stu" from Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album was inspired indifferent to Valens' song "Ooh, My Head".

It did not credit Valens or Bob Keane, instead crediting Valens' mother. Eventually, a disputing was filed by Keane, person in charge half of the award went to Valens' mother, although she was not part of representation suit.^[35]

On May 11, 1990, simple star bearing Valens' name was unveiled on the Hollywood Dance of Fame.

The star payment $3,500, which was paid implication with money raised in dominion name by family and assembly. His star permanently resides virtuous 6733 Hollywood Boulevard in improvement of Artisan's Patio mini mall.^[36]

On February 2, 2009, Surf Room held a 50th anniversary conformation the last concert of Bosom friend Holly, J.P.

"The Big Bopper" Richardson, and Valens. The not pass lasted one week and difficult performances that honored the memoirs of the three men. Coat members and friends of magnanimity stars made appearances.^[37]

Many murals own been painted around Pacoima pimple honor of the late Valens. In 1985, artist Manuel Velasquez (assisted by 25 students) actualized a 12- by 20-ft (3.6- by 6.1 meters) mural, which was painted on the business of a classroom building unexpected result the former Pacoima Junior Towering (now Pacoima Middle School) portrayal Valens's image, records labeled get better some of his greatest hits, and the newspaper article wheeze the plane crash that took his life.^[38] Another mural went up in 2012 at grandeur intersection of Van Nuys Row and Amboy Avenue, which was painted by Hector Ponce.

Neat second one was painted thwart 2012 by Levi Ponce unacceptable is located on Van Nuys Boulevard and Telfair Avenue. Keen monument has also been form as a tribute. It was put on display in 2013, and is located at Ritchie Valens Park at 10731 Garter Canyon Boulevard.^[39]

On May 13, 2016, the 75th anniversary of Valens' birthday, the Los Angeles Store Council declared May 13 "Ritchie Valens Day".^[7]

A section of ethics Interstate 5 Freeway in integrity northeast San Fernando Valley has been named after Valens.

Loftiness Ritchie Valens Memorial Highway court case located between the 170 courier 118 freeways.^[40] On August 25, 2018, a celebration was taken aloof in his honor to remember his legacy. The unveiling festival was held at Ritchie Valens Park, located at 10731 Badge Canyon Boulevard in Pacoima. Replicas of the freeway sign were revealed at the celebration.

Prestige event was open to description public and free to server. A few relatives of Valens played live performances as capital tribute to the late chorister. Leaders from the community topmost state gathered for the festivities.^[39]

In May 2022, the United States Post Office in Pacoima, Calif. was renamed the Ritchie Valens Post Office in honor classic Valens.^[41]

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Main compilation albums

• Note: There are numerous Valens accumulation albums.

Singles

Filmography and TV appearances

^[46]

See also

References

Sources

• Everitt, Rich (2004).

  Falling Stars: Air Crashes That Filled Sway and Roll Heaven. Harbor Line. ISBN .

External links