Ritchie Valens
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Ritchie Valens was a pioneer of rock and roll and, as a Mexican-American, became the first Hispanic rock and roll star. He died of a plane crash at his early age. One of hit best remembered single is "Donna".
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[edit] About
Ritchie Valens or "Ricardo Steven Valenzuela" was born on May 13, 1941 at Pacoima, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles to "Joseph Steven Valenzuela" who works as a tree surgeon by trade ,but dabbled in mining operations and was a horse trainer and "Connie Valenzuela". His parents were separated when he was only 3 years old. Ritchie stayed with his father. He expressed an interest in making music of his own by the age of 5. His father encouraged Ritchie to study guitar and trumpet. At nine years of age he got his first Spanish guitar. As a twelve year old, Ritchie had already written several songs, most of which were inspired by Mexican music. While Ritchie was left-handed, he was so eager to learn the guitar that he mastered the traditionally right-handed version of the instrument. His father died in 1951 and afterwards he lived with his mother and brothers and sisters, but occasionally they stayed with other relatives who introduced him to traditional Mexican music.
At the age of thirteen Ritchie entered Pacoima Junior High as a seventh grader where was an average student. he appeared in variety programs and played his guitar for schoolmates at lunch breaks. By the time he entered San Fernando High School, he was already feature at school assemblies, singing and playing the guitar. In his junior year he joined the Silhouettes, a band named after a song by the Rays. The only rock and roll band in the area, the Silhouettes quickly became local stars. When Ritchie was seventeen he was spotted by Bob Keene, president of Del Fi Records in Hollywood, and offered recording contract. Bob Keene also became his manager. A session band including famous musicial "Earl Palmer" on drums, "Carol Kaye" on guitar, "Red Collendar" on stand-up bass, "Ernie Freeman" on piano and "Rene Hall" on guitar became Ritchie's back-up band. Their single, "Come On, Let's Go", was released in 1958 which chartered #42 in the US Charts and sold 750,000 copies. After the released, Richie went on a US Tour.
When the first tour had finished, Ritchie returned to the studio to record a song entitle "Donna" which he wrote for his high school sweetheart, Donna Ludwig. The flip side was the single, "La Bamba" a reworking of a traditional Mexican folk song of the same name. The single, "Donna" was released in October 1958. It became his biggest all-time hit and first million seller it was a two-sided hit and the flip side 'La Bamba' was a traditional Spanish song which Ritchie sang in Spanish after adding a rock'n'roll beat to it. That song was also a million seller. In December of that same year, Ritchie filmed a cameo for "Go, Johnny Go!" a teen movie.
On January 23, 1959, Valens joined Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Dion and the Belmonts for the "Winter Dance Party" tour of the Upper Midwest. Valens singles "Donna" and "La Bamba," that was moving toward the top ten, made him the most popular artist on the tour at the moment. The tour was a gruelling series of one night stands that eventually brought them through the North-Central part of the United States. On the way to Clear Lake the bus broke down completely. Buddy Holly who was unhappy with the traveling accommodations arranged to fly to the next stop in a leased airplane. He leased a four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza for himself and the band members, Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup. The three stars arrived at the airport about 12.40 a.m. and were met by their 21-year-old pilot, Roger Peterson, and Jerry Dwyer the owner of the plane. It was a little before 1 a.m. when the single engine aircraft took off in a blinding snow storm. It was a little before 1 a.m. when the single engined aircraft took off. Roger was inexperienced with the equipment involved with flying by instruments. He was actually not supposed to fly under conditions requiring navigation by instruments, but did not see the special advisories concerning poor visability. Roger probably became confused in reading the unfamiliar gyroscope and didn't realize he was desending and not ascending. Just minutes after takeoff, the plane plunged into the ground. The wreckage was spotted at approximately 9:35 a.m. the next morning when a worried Dwyer decided to investigate, after not having heard from the airport of destination. All aboard were killed. Ritchie was just 17 years old.
In the wake of his death, several further singles were issued, only two of which - "That's My Little Suzie" and "Little Girl" - were minor chart hits. His albums, Ritchie and Ritchie Valens were released from sessions recorded for Del-Fi and at a performance for Ritchie's classmates. So ended the brief career of a young star who could have become a stellar showman.
[edit] Awards & Certifications
[edit] Chart Toppers
[edit] News
[edit] Tours & Concerts
There are no current tour and concert schedules for Ritchie Valens.
[edit] Announcements
There are no announcements as of this time
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
 1959 Rhino |
 1963 Rhino |
[edit] Singles
| Date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | La Bamba | Unidisc |
[edit] Compilations & Live Releases
 1963 Rhino |
 1987 Original Sound |
 June 15, 1993 Del-Fi |
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Rithievalesritchi.jpg
December 20, 1993 Del-Fi |
 January 17, 1995 Del-Fi |
 November 6, 1995 Del-Fi |
 1996 Music International |
 November 21, 2002 Repertoire |
 2003 Audio Fidelity |
 June 24, 2003 EMI |
 April 6, 2004 Rhino |
[edit] Other artists
[edit] Similar artists
[edit] Contemporaries
[edit] Influences
[edit] Trivia
- Ritchie has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6733 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, California, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
- Ritchie was as one of the performers featured on a set of stamps of rock and blues legends issued by the U.S. Postal Service in June 1993.
