Ritchie Valens
Chicano rock, Musical Artist
1941 – 1959
Who was Ritchie Valens?
'Richard Steven Valenzuela', known as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens' recording career lasted only eight months. During this time, he had several hits, most notably "La Bamba", which was originally 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 "The Day the Music Died", Valens died in a small-plane crash in Iowa, a tragedy that also claimed the lives of fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as pilot Roger Peterson. Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
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- Born
- May 13, 1941
Pacoima - Also known as
- Richie Valens
- Valens, Ritchie
- Richard Steven Valenzuela
- Parents
- Religion
- Catholicism
- Ethnicity
- Mexican American
- Nationality
- United States of America
- Profession
- Education
- San Fernando High School
- Died
- Feb 3, 1959
Grant Township - Resting place
- San Fernando Mission Cemetery
Submitted
on July 23, 2013
Citation
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"Ritchie Valens." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/ritchie_valens>.
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