Ritchie Valens

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Ritchie Valens (Richard Steven Valenzuela; May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959) was a Mexican 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, however, he scored several hits, most notably “La Bamba”, which was originally a Mexican folk song that Valens transformed with a rock rhythm and beat that became a hit in 1958, making Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement.

Valens died in a plane crash outside Clear Lake, Iowa while on the Winter Dance Party tour. Also killed in the crash were the pilot of the plane and rock and roll stars Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. The song American Pie, by Don McLean is a tribute to the three musicians who died, and a reflection of the changes in music since their deaths. In the song he calls the day of their death “the day the music died,” a phrase that came from newspaper headlines that announced the tragedy on February 3, 1959

Brought up hearing traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well as flamenco guitar, R&B and jump blues, by the age of 5 he expressed an interest in making music of his own. He was encouraged by his father to take up guitar and trumpet, and it is also known that he later taught himself the drums. One day, a neighbour came across Ritchie trying to play a guitar that had only two strings. He re-strung the instrument, and taught Ritchie the fingerings of some chords. While Ritchie was left-handed, he was so eager to learn the guitar that he mastered the traditionally right-handed version of the instrument.

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Popular tags: rock and roll, oldies, 50s, rockabilly, rock  See more

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1		La Bamba			995
2		Donna			485
3		Come on, Let's Go			345
4		We Belong Together			294
5		Come On Let'S Go			150
6		That'S My Little Suzie			95
6		In A Turkish Town			95
8		Ooh! My Head			76
9		Oh Donna			68
10		Bluebirds Over The Mountain			64
10		Framed			64
12		Hurry Up			55
13		La Bamba - Recorded at Gold Star- the B-side of "Donna"			52
14		Hi-Tone			49
14		Stay Beside Me			49

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