Richard Steven Valenzuela, known as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Valens was a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement. He was killed in a plane crash in 1959, eight months into his recording career. In 2001, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
About Ritchie Valens in brief
Richard Steven Valenzuela, known as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Valens was a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement. He was killed in a plane crash in 1959, eight months into his recording career. In 2001, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He had several hits, most notably \”La Bamba\”, which he had adapted from a Mexican folk song. He also had an American number-two hit with \”Donna\”. Valens’ final record to be released in his lifetime was the song “Donna”, which sold over one million copies. His parents were from Mexico, and he was brought up hearing traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well as flamenco guitar, R&B, and jump blues. He died in the crash that also claimed the lives of fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J. P. Richardson, and pilot Roger Peterson. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son-in-law, who is now a successful recording artist of his own. He is buried in the Los Angeles suburb of Pacoima, California, in a plot of land he inherited from his late father, Joseph Steven Valzuela.
Valens died on February 3, 1959, on what has become known as \”The Day the Music Died\”, an accident that also killed the deaths of Buddy Holly, J. P. Richards, and Roger Peterson, all of whom were also on board the plane at the time of the crash. The crash was caused by a freak accident at his junior high school due to his fear of flying at his high school in San Fernando Valley, California. In the autumn of 1958, Valens had a recording session at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles with a full band backing him. The first songs recorded at the session were \”Come On, Let’s Go\”, a original single, and \”Fram, Leiber, and Stoller, a studio session, a double-side record. After this first audition, the musician took the name \”Ritchie\” because, as Keane said, there were a bunch of ‘Richards’ around at that time, and I wanted it to be different. Keane recommended shortening his surname to \”Valens\” to widen his appeal.
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