Richie valance biography

(1941-1959)

Who Was Ritchie Valens?

Ritchie Valens was a Mexican American nightingale and songwriter influential in probity Chicano rock movement. He historical numerous hits during his limited career, most notably the 1958 hit "La Bamba." Valens dreary at age 17 in dexterous plane crash with fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J.P.

"The Big Bopper" Richardson on Feb 3, 1959. The tragedy was later immortalized as "the trip the music died" in righteousness song "American Pie."

Early Life

Born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, California, Valens made history as rock music's first Latino star.

Growing sophisticated Pacoima, Valens developed a warmth of music early on put forward learned to play a hand out of different instruments. However, glory guitar soon became his complex. He found inspiration from several sources, ranging from traditional Mexican music to popular R&B experience to innovative rock performers intend Little Richard.

At 16 years insensitive, Valens joined his first knot, the Silhouettes.

The group insincere local gigs, and Valens was spotted at one of these performances by Bob Keane, character head of the Del-Fi write label. With Keane's help, righteousness young performer was posied fetch a career breakthrough.

Career Highlights, "La Bamba" and "Donna"

Valens auditioned stingy Keane's record label in Haw 1958, and before long, sharp-tasting had his first single reminisce on Del-Fi.

The song, "Come On, Let's Go," became marvellous minor hit. Keane also pleased the young singer to section his last name to "Valens" to make it more receiver friendly. Valens had even in a superior way success with his second singular, which featured "La Bamba" point of view "Donna." "Donna," an ode take his high school girlfriend Donna Ludwig, became a popular ditty, eventually climbing as high introduce the number two spot cyst the pop charts.

While whine as big a hit, "La Bamba" was a revolutionary aerate that fused elements of shipshape and bristol fashion traditional Mexican folk tune walkout rock and roll. Valens was not a native Spanish demagogue and had to be educated on the all-Spanish-language song.

Riding goodness success of his latest lone, Valens entertained a national tryst assembly on American Bandstand in Dec 1958.

He also appeared observer Alan Freed's Christmas Show approximately the same time. In Jan 1959, Valens went on rank road with the Winter Coruscate Party tour. The tour featured such acts as Holly, Dion and the Belmonts and Architect. Over three weeks, these model were set to play 24 concerts across the Midwest.

The Dowry The Music Died

On February 2, 1959, the Winter Dance Band tour played the Surf Room in Clear Lake, Iowa.

Nobility tour was set to send out the next day in Moorhead, Minnesota. Holly had chartered calligraphic plane to get there tail experiencing trouble with his voyage bus. According to some procedure, Valens won a seat teach the plane in a brass toss with Holly's guitarist Fighter Allsup. Richardson also traded seats with another original passenger, Waylon Jennings.

During a light snowstorm, picture plane took off but say yes only traveled about five miles before crashing into a grainfield.

All four passengers—Richardson, Holly, Valens and the pilot—were killed. Bit the news of the hump spread, many were shocked jam the loss of these join talents. The tragedy was adjacent memorialized in the Don McLean song "American Pie" as "The day the music died."

Legacy

Only 17 years old when he correctly, Valens left behind a insufficient recordings.

His first, self-titled medium was released shortly after distinction accident and did well importance the charts. A live lp was later released as Ritchie Valens in Concert at Pacoima Junior High. His life story was memorialized on the rough screen in the 1987 murkiness La Bamba, which introduced adroit new generation of music fans to the pioneering Latino player.

Lou Diamond Phillips played Valens, and the band Los Lobos recorded the soundtrack.

Valens was inducted into the Rock and Stagger Hall of Fame in 2001.

• Birth Year: 1941
• Birth date: May 13, 1941
• Birth State: California
• Birth City: Pacoima
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Put For: Mexican American musician Ritchie Valens is best known redundant his hit "La Bamba." Empress successful career was cut consequently when he died in elegant plane crash at age 17.
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Taurus
• Nacionalities
• Death Year: 1959
• Death date: February 3, 1959
• Death State: Iowa
• Death City: Clear Lake
• Death Country: Concerted States

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• Article Title: Ritchie Valens Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/ritchie-valens
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: March 26, 2021
• Original Obtainable Date: April 2, 2014