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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.
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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La Bamba
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Best of Ritchie Valens
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The Ritchie Valens Story
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The Best of Ritchie Valens
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Shoutbox
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alltheway49ers wrote:
yep your right and the big bopper too
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JAMESisCreepy wrote:
what a loss.
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Opir wrote:
Like rockabilly, psychobilly, garage rhythms and simillar tunes? Check out brand new uncomercial off stream music group Cazumbi (http://www.lastfm.pl/group/Cazumbi)
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beto213 wrote:
QUE VIVA
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MaximSagan wrote:
I like how the two musicians he died alongside are at the top of his similar artists list.
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Cherrysyrup wrote:
loooove him
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SANLEGAS wrote:
la bamba is music from veracruz, mexico.
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morning_napalm wrote:
love him, love him, love him
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Dunk_a_roos wrote:
yo no soy marinero soy capitan
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peeves111 wrote:
OOOOH DONNA
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deathmagnetic wrote:
la bamba is great
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JAMESisCreepy wrote:
"this one's for the criminal element in hear tonight..."
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Reckless_Rebell wrote:
Ritchie will never be forgotten! His music is still awesome till this day!
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poor-de-chirico wrote:
Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan...
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Sussy_0458 wrote:
aww xD <3
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C4NNIB4L wrote:
RIP :-/
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Pankala wrote:
"richi valen richi valen! subete a mi avion richi valen!"
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lukas124 wrote:
Ritchie, Ritchie he's the king of rock 'n' roll "Sweet sixteen, doesn't wear jeans" :)
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trailerpark wrote:
Rest in Peace, Ritchie Valens.
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vortex77 wrote:
50 years ago today, the music died.. :-(
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bry2203, wwwojtus and Veit_Heiduschka added Ritchie Valens to their libraries. yesterday evening
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AWARDED, Davidsolut, JXAwesome and 50 other people added Ritchie Valens to their libraries. Sunday afternoon
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A deleted user tagged Ritchie Valens with american, pop-rock, rock and one other tag. 12 days ago
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HarpoGarza, Emerica_CO, RJahrn and 3 other people added Ritchie Valens to their libraries. 12 days ago
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thomasthetank18 tagged Ritchie Valens with 50s, rock and roll and oldies. 13 days ago
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