Signature Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. A pioneer and a forefather of the movement, Valens' recording career lasted eight months, as it abruptly ended when he died in a plane crash. During this time, he had several hits, most notably ', which he had adapted from a Mexican folk song.

Valens transformed the song into one with a rock rhythm and beat, and it became a hit in 1958, making Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement. On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as ', Valens died in a plane crash in, an accident that also claimed the lives of fellow musicians and J. ' Richardson, as well as pilot Roger Peterson. Valens was inducted into the in 2001. Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • Early life [ ] Valens was born Richard Steven Valenzuela in, a neighborhood in the region of Los Angeles. His parents were Joseph Steven Valenzuela (1896–1952) and Concepcion Reyes (1915–1987); he was of Mexican descent and the second of five siblings with older brother Bob Morales, younger sisters Connie and Irma, and younger brother Mario Ramirez. Ritchie Valenzuela was brought up hearing traditional Mexican music, as well as guitar, [ ], and.

Valenzuela expressed an interest in making music of his own by the age of five, and he was encouraged by his father to take up guitar and trumpet, and later taught himself the drums. Though Valenzuela was left handed, he was so eager to learn the guitar that he mastered the traditionally right-handed version of the instrument. By the time Valenzuela was attending junior high school, he brought the guitar to school and would sing and play songs to his friends on the bleachers. When he was 16 years old, he was invited to join a local band, the Silhouettes (not the group famous for its hit song ), as a guitarist, and when the main vocalist left the group, Valenzuela assumed the position. On October 19, 1957, he made his performing debut with the Silhouettes. Valenzuela attended Pacoima Junior High School (now ) and was a at the time of his death. Grave of Ritchie Valens and his mother Concepcion at San Fernando Mission Cemetery After the February 2, 1959, performance in (which ended around midnight), Holly, Richardson, and Valens flew out of the airport in a small plane that Holly had chartered.

Valens was on the plane because he won a coin toss with Holly's backup guitarist Tommy Allsup. Holly's bassist, Waylon Jennings, voluntarily gave up his seat on the plane to J.P.

DISCOGRAFIA Live 1964 - 2004. Live 1975 (Rolling Thunder Revue) - 2002 'Love and Theft' - 2001. The Essential Bob Dylan - 2000. Live 1966 - 1998. Time Out Of Mind - 1997. MTV Unplugged - 1995. Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Vol. World Gone Wrong - 1993. The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration - 1993. 034 - ALL GUITARS! Various artists This tape from Tellus (The Audio Cassette Magazine) features Lee Ranaldo (1), Arto Lindsay and Toni Nogueira (2), Janice Sloane (3), Butthole Surfers (4), New Detroit Inc. (5), Bob Mould (6), Bond Bergland (7), Joseph Nechvatal (8), Elliott Sharp (9), David Linton (10), Jules Baptiste (11).

Richardson, who was ill with the flu. Just after 1:00 am on February 3, 1959, the three-passenger departed for, and crashed a few minutes after takeoff for reasons still unknown. The crash killed all three passengers and pilot instantly upon impact. As with Holly and Richardson, Valens suffered massive and unsurvivable head injuries along with to the chest. At 17, Valens was the youngest to die in the crash.

The tragedy inspired singer to write his 1971 hit ', immortalizing February 3 as 'The Day the Music Died'. Valens's remains were buried at,. Photo of the airplane crash in Iowa Valens was a pioneer of and and inspired many musicians of Mexican heritage. He influenced the likes of,, and, as he had become nationally successful at a time when very few Latinos were in American rock and pop music. He is considered the first Latino to successfully cross over into mainstream rock.

'La Bamba' proved to be his most influential recording, not only by becoming a pop chart hit sung entirely in Spanish, but also because of its successful blending of traditional Latin American music with rock. Valens was the first to capitalize on this formula, which was later adopted by such varied artists as,,,,,,, and many others in the scene. Ironically, the Valenzuela family spoke only English at home, and he knew very little Spanish. Valens to record 'La Bamba' in Spanish. 'Come On, Let's Go' has been covered by Los Lobos, the and the (the Ramones on guitar, bass and drums and the Paley Brothers on vocals),, the,, and the.

In Australia, Johnny Rebb and his Rebels on Leedon/Canetoad Records covered the song. 'Donna' has been covered by artists as diverse as,, the,,, and. Has cited Valens's guitar playing as an early influence on his style. Valens also inspired,,,, and, among others.

Valens' nephew, Ernie Valens, has toured worldwide playing his uncle's songs, including a new version of the 'Winter Dance Party' tour with Buddy Holly impersonator John Mueller. This tour has taken place at many of the original 1959 venues in the Midwest and is managed by, a company that specializes in retro brands. Valens' mother, Connie, who died in 1987, is buried alongside him. Representation in other media [ ] • Valens has been the subject of several films, including the 1987 film.

Primarily set in 1957-1959, it depicted Valens from age 16 to 17. It introduced as Valens. Los Lobos performed most of the music in the film. • Valens was portrayed by Gilbert Melgar in the final scene of. • He was also featured in the film The Day the Music Died (2010). • Valens was portrayed by Joseph Thornhill in the 2011 film Lives and Deaths of the Poets. • The novelization by Ron De Christiforo of the film (1978) is set around the time of Valens' death.

In one of the earlier chapters, the gang sits around in the character of Sonny's basement, upset at the death of some of their favorite stars in the plane crash. Tributes [ ]. Monument at crash site in 2003 In 1988, Ken Paquette, a fan of the 1950s era, erected a stainless-steel monument depicting a steel guitar and a set of three records bearing the names of each of the three performers killed in the accident.

It is located on private farmland, about one-quarter mile west of the intersection of 315th Street and Gull Avenue, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Clear Lake. He also created a similar stainless-steel monument to the three musicians that was installed near the Riverside Ballroom in.

That memorial was unveiled on July 17, 2003. A park in Pacoima was renamed in Ritchie Valens' honor in the 1990s. Originally named Paxton Park, a city council member representing Pacoima, proposed the renaming to honor Valens so residents will 'remember his humble background and emulate his accomplishments.' In 1985, artist Manuel Velasquez (assisted by 25 students) created a 12 foot by 20 foot mural which was painted on the side of a classroom building at the former Pacoima Junior High (now Pacoima Middle School) depicting Ritchie Valens' image, records labeled with some of his greatest hits, as well as the newspaper article about the plane crash that took his life. Musician Tommy Allsup started a club, 'Tommy's Heads Up Saloon', in in 1979. The club was named for the fateful coin toss between Valens and him.

' from 's album was inspired by Valens' song 'Oooh, My Head'. It did not credit Valens or, instead crediting Valens' mother. Eventually, a lawsuit was filed by Keane, and half of the reward went to Valens' mother, although she was not part of the suit. A section of the 5 Freeway in the northeast San Fernando Valley will be named after Valens.

The Ritchie Valens Memorial Highway will be located between the 170 and 118 freeways. Discography [ ] Original albums [ ] • (March 1959) -- Del-Fi DFLP-1201 (US #23) • (October 1959) -- Del-Fi DFLP-1206 • (December 1960) -- Del-Fi DFLP-1214 Side 1 features the concert with opening narrative by Bob Keane, side 2 features five unfinished tracks as described by Keane. 'Come On, Let's Go' on side 1 is a demo version with the concert noise dubbed in.

Retrieved 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017. EF News International. December 16, 2011. Archived from on February 6, 2012. • Letivan, Corey (July 5, 2005)...

Archived from on September 28, 2007. • (in Spanish). Archived from on February 13, 2012.

Retrieved September 12, 2013. • (October 6, 2006).

The Oracle of Del-Fi. Del-Fi International Books.. • 'Valens, Ritchie.' Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 4th ed.

Colin Larkin. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. • Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.).

London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. January 31, 1957. Retrieved September 12, 2013. •, (April 1, 2004), ch. Retrieved September 12, 2013. • Jordan, Jennifer (April 11, 2007)..

Fiery Sequence Impose Crackle. Archived from on February 7, 2012. City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation & Parks. Retrieved September 12, 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2017.

• Larry Lehmer (2004).. Music Sales Group.. • Lehmer, Larry.

The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens (2004): 166. • Patrick McGreevy..

Los Angeles Times. External links [ ] Wikimedia Commons has media related to. • •, history-of-rock.com •, tsimon.com •, angelfire.com.

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