Valens was born Richard Steven Valenzuela in Pacoima, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. Valens's remains were buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California. Similarly, Keane recommended shortening his surname to "Valens" from Valenzuela to widen his appeal beyond any obvious ethnic group. He was called as a leading figure in the Spanish-speaking rock and roll music. In 2001, Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ritchie Valens (born May 13, 1941, in Los Angeles, California) was a famous Latino teen idol and pioneer of the Chicano rock movement of the 1950s and 60s before his untimely death alongside Buddy Holly and J.P. Richardson in a plane crash on February 3, 1959 — a day that would later be remembered as "The Day the Music Died." The singers signed on to be a part of “The Winter Dance Party” tour with 24 concerts over a 3 week period in the Midwest. The Final Concert of Buddy Holly . On October 19, 1957, he made his performing debut with The Silhouettes. Leaders from the community and state gathered for the festivities. Biographical story of the rise from nowhere of early rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens who died at age 17 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. The death of Valens along with his fellow members has been known as “the Day of the Music Died”. A city council member representing Pacoima proposed the renaming to honor Valens so residents would "remember his humble background and emulate his accomplishments. In 2013 Valens' siblings gathered at Surf Ballroom and Museum to loan memorabilia. After the February 2, 1959, performance in Clear Lake, Iowa (which ended around midnight), Holly, Richardson, and Valens flew out of the Mason City airport in a small plane that Holly had chartered. He was the second of five siblings with older brother Bob Morales, younger sisters Connie and Irma, and younger brother Mario Ramirez. Replicas of the freeway sign were revealed at the celebration. The event was open to the public and free to attend. Rolling Stone relates that in his eight-month career, Valens recorded 29 songs — 21 of them he'd written himself. Shortly after midnight on Feb. 3, 1959, Holly, Valens and Richardson arrived at the airport, gathered their belongings and hurried along through the falling snow to Peterson’s plane. Ritchie Valens was one of Rock n Roll's first Latino superstars and has inspired countless musicians around the world. "[19], Musician Tommy Allsup started a club, "Tommy's Heads Up Saloon", in Dallas in 1979. Valens learned the lyrics phonetically to record "La Bamba" in Spanish. The day later became known as The Day the Music Died. "I never took Ritchie to that brothel. Ironically, the Valenzuela family spoke only English at home, and he knew very little Spanish. His parents, Joseph Steven Valenzuela (1896-1952) and Concepcion "Concha" Reyes (1915-1987), were from Mexico. He is considered the first Latino to successfully cross over into mainstream rock. On the first anniversary of Ritchie’s death, Ritchie’s mother wanted to honor his memory. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens' recording career lasted eight months, as it abruptly ended when he was killed in a plane crash. On February 3, 1959, American rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "The Big Bopper" J. P. Richardson were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, together with pilot Roger Peterson. Ritchie Valens, Soundtrack: Grease. We had gone to Tijuana several times on a family trip with all the kids. The pilot himself, Roger Peterson, was just 21. The song peaked on the charts a few weeks after his death. He also had an American number-two hit with "Donna". A detailed look at the tragic death of Ritchie Valens. "La Bamba" proved to be his most influential recording, not only by becoming a pop chart hit sung entirely in Spanish, but also because of its successful blending of traditional Latin American music with rock. Glen Kellogg of Clear Lake took some photos of the scene at the request of Sheriff Jerry Allen and me. Holly, Richardson, and Valens were thrown from the wreckage; Peterson was found entangled in what was left of the plane. A monument has also been built as a tribute. Around 12:55 am on February 3, 1959, the three-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza departed for Fargo, Nort… At this point, 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." [18], Paxton Park in Pacoima was renamed in memory of Valens in the 1990s. The first songs recorded at Gold Star Studios, at a single studio session one afternoon in July 1958, were "Come On, Let's Go", an original (credited to Valens/Kuhn, Keane's real name), and "Framed", a Leiber and Stoller tune. Also on board were Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. After Valens' death, the family stayed out of the public eye, though they did work closely with producers of "La Bamba." Photo of casket (Photo of casket). Ritchie's 18th Birthday . At his appearances, he often improvised new lyrics and added new riffs to popular songs while he was playing. On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as "The Day the Music Died", Valens died in a plane crash in Iowa, an accident that also claimed the lives of fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as pilot Roger Peterson. With Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña. Ed. Web. Valenzuela was brought up hearing traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well as flamenco guitar,[6] R&B, and jump blues. [23], Many murals have been painted around Pacoima in honor of the late Valens. The crash killed all three passengers and pilot Roger Peterson instantly upon impact. among recordings deemed classics by Library of Congress", "Ritchie Valens' 'La Bamba' Inducted Into National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress", "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Surf Ballroom & Museum to Honor 50 Year Anniversary of Winter Dance Party", "Richie Valens – Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles", "Pacoima is ready to celebrate The Ritchie Valens Memorial Highway in one more reminder of the late Chicano rocker's legacy", "Ritchie Valens, late rock star and local hero, gets a stretch of the 5 Freeway in the Valley named after him", Ritchie Valens...His Greatest Hits Volume 2, Surf Ballroom (site of final performance), The Day the Music Died (1959 plane crash), Category:American people of Mexican descent, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ritchie_Valens&oldid=990058080, Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States, Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1959, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from October 2014, All articles needing additional references, Articles needing additional references from April 2015, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Valens was portrayed by Gilbert Melgar in the final scene of, Valens was portrayed by Joseph Thornhill in the 2011 film, The novelization by Ron De Christiforo of the film. Impressed by the performance, he invited the youth to audition at his home in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, where he had a small recording studio in his basement. A star bearing his name was unveiled on the Hollywood walk of fame. "Come On, Let's Go" has been recorded by Los Lobos, the Ramones, and the Paley Brothers (the Ramones on guitar, bass, and drums and the Paley Brothers on vocals), Tommy Steele, the Huntingtons, Girl in a Coma, and the McCoys. Born outside of Los Angeles in 1941. [27], 20th-century American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. [16], In 1989, Ken Paquette, a Wisconsin fan of the 1950s era, erected a stainless-steel monument depicting a guitar and a set of three records bearing the names of each of the three performers killed in the accident. No one who died in the 1959 plane crash, that day the music died, was an old man. The musicians included René Hall, Carol Kaye, and Earl Palmer. Bob Morales, the older brother of rock legend Ritchie Valens, and who made a name for himself from Pacoima to Northern California during his own turbulent past, died … He hadn't grown up speaking Spanish; he had to be coached phonetically for the Spanish lyrics in "La Bamba.". Valens's next record, a double A-side, the final record to be released in his lifetime, had the song "Donna" (written about a real girlfriend Donna Ludwig[10]) coupled with "La Bamba". Bob Keane, the owner and president of small record label Del-Fi Records in Hollywood, was given a tip in May 1958 by San Fernando High School student Doug Macchia about a young performer from Pacoima by the name of Richard Valenzuela. A few relatives of Valens played live performances as a tribute to the late singer. A self-taught musician, Valenzuela was an accomplished singer and guitarist. A plane crash in Iowa claimed the lives of pilot Roger Peterson, Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson, and Ritchie Valens. Everyone died instantly. Everyone was quickly exhausted. The event later became known as "The Day the Music Died", after singer-songwriter Don McLean referred to it as such in his 1971 song "American Pie". No one's positive what happened exactly; the official finding by the federal investigators was that Peterson was too inexperienced to be flying in those conditions. The event lasted one week and had performances that honored the memories of the three men. The body of Richard Valenuela was clothed in a black wool cloth overcoat containing a label "Harris & Drank, Los Angeles, Cal. Note: There are numerous Valen's compilation albums. Guy ritchie house photos (Guy ritchie house photos). He influenced the likes of Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, and Carlos Santana, as he had become nationally successful at a time when very few Latinos were in American rock and pop music. Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, in Mason City, Iowa, and the country lost one of its most talented singers. The star cost $3,500, which was paid for with money raised in his name by family and friends. Valens was a pioneer of Chicano rock and Latin rock, and inspired many musicians of Mexican heritage. In 1959, a plane with The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly crashed while you all were on the Winter Dance Party tour, killing all three stars and the pilot. He had four siblings, most notably his older brother, Bob Morales, who was portrayed as a bike riding enthusiast in the 1987 movie, La Bamba. Oxford University Press. Three minutes later, he saw something alarming: The plane’s tail lights entered into a descending turn and vanished from sight. This included a wallet that Valens had at the time of his death which his mother kept with her for years after he died. Buddy Holly was 22; J.P. Richardson, " The Big Bopper ," was the old man on the plane, at 28. Born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacioma, California; died on February 3, 1959, in Clear Lake, Iowa. Valenzuela expressed an interest in making music of his own by the age of five. [7] When he was 16 years old, he was invited to join a local band, The Silhouettes (not the group famous for its hit song "Get a Job"). Valens, Holly, Richardson and the pilot Roger Peterson were all killed instantly. The club was named for the fateful coin toss between Valens and him twenty years prior. In 2019, the Valens version of "La Bamba" was selected by the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant".[14][15]. After the February 2, 1959, performance in Clear Lake, Iowa (which ended around midnight), Holly, Richardson, and Valens flew out of the Mason City airport in a small plane that Holly had chartered. Morales, the older brother of famed musician Ritchie Valens, was an icon in his own right. [13] Around 12:55 am on February 3, 1959, the three-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza departed for Fargo, North Dakota, and crashed a few minutes after takeoff for reasons still unknown. Keane booked appearances at venues across the United States and performances on television programs. At approximately 12:55 a.m., they took off from runway 17 (now runway 18). Facts about Ritchie Valens 2: a leading figure. After this first audition, Keane signed Valenzuela to Del-Fi on May 27, 1958. The Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" closed out the night. Valenzuela died Sunday at Watsonville Community Hospital. He was 16 when he started performing professionally and recording. Holly's bassist, Waylon Jennings, voluntarily gave up his seat on the plane to J.P. Richardson, who was ill with the flu. 15 Feb. 2016. Richard Steven Valenzuela died in a plane crash in Iowa in February 1959, aged 17. Their legacies live on through events such as these. Valens was a breakout star who'd had astounding success in a relatively short period of time. Valens was on the plane because he won a coin toss with Holly's backup guitarist Tommy Allsup. In 1987 a biographical movie of his life and times entitled 'La Bamba' was released and was a worldwide smash hit. A billfold containing the name of Tommy Douglas Allsup and a leather pocket case marked with the name, “Ritchie Valens” were brought to me at the scene by Deputy Sheriff inspecting the ground over which the wreckage had skidded and rolled. Oxford Music Online. The coroner's report on Valens, posted online by the Des Moines Register, notes that fingerprints were required for identification — his head injuries were so massive that "facial features were not identifiable," says the report. Valens' mother, Concha, who died in 1987, is buried alongside him. Valenzuela attended Pacoima Junior High School (now Pacoima Middle School) and San Fernando High School.[8]. Directed by Luis Valdez. Today (February 3) marks 61 years since musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson died in a plane crash, a day now dubbed "The Day Music Died." [26] On August 25, 2018, a celebration was held in his honor to commemorate his legacy. Casket photo of elvis (Casket photo of elvis). Colin Larkin. Richard Steven Valenzuela was born May 13, 1941 in Pacoima, California, says Biography. Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the Recording Industry Association of America. Autopsyfiles.org - Ritchie Valens Autopsy Report Author: Autopsyfiles.org Subject: Autopsyfiles.org - Ritchie Valens Autopsy Report Keywords: Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, autopsy report, autopsies, celebrity deaths, celebrity autopsies, famous deaths Created Date: 4/5/2009 5:05:37 PM Holly decided to charter a plane for himself and his musicians for the trip out of Clear Lake, Iowa, to their next gig in Minnesota — they'd have a good night's sleep and a chance to do laundry before the next show. Facts about Ritchie Valens 3: the death of Valens. ", a white shirt and underclothing. A second one was painted in 2012 by Levi Ponce and is located on Van Nuys Boulevard and Telfair Avenue. They died on 3 February 1959 in a plane crash. Youngest of all was a rising star of Chicano rock — Latin Rock and Roll — Ritchie Valens. That memorial was unveiled on July 17, 2003. On Feb 2, 1959, 17-year-old Ritchie died in a plane crash, along with Buddy Holly and J.P. This page was last edited on 22 November 2020, at 15:39. By the time he was 5 he wanted to play music, especially the guitar. He was 17. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Recording Industry Association of America, "Arvee Allens – Big Baby Blues / Fast Freight", "Ritchie Valens - the Pioneer of Rock and Roll", "Latino rockers no longer lost in translation", "LA declares Ritchie Valens Day on 75th anniversary of his birth", "San Fernando High School Alums | i am san fernando", "Jay-Z, a speech by Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and 'Schoolhouse Rock!' All of the members of the Winter Dance Party tour in January 1959 — "the road trip from hell" — were stars, or on their way up. On Saturday, Bob Morales died. On February 2, 1959, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper played their last show as part of the "Winter Dance Party" tour, stopping this night at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, IA. Robert Quine has cited Valens' guitar playing as an early influence on his style. By the time Valenzuela was attending junior high school, he would bring his guitar to school and sing and play songs to his friends on the bleachers. His recording equipment comprised an early stereo recorder (a two-track Ampex 601-2 portable) and a pair of Neumann U-47 condenser microphones. The story of Ritchie Valens ' life is tragic: right when the musical prodigy's career was taking off, the day "the music died," happened. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens was killed in a plane crash eight months into his recording career.[3]. The wreckage of the plane crash that killed rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper on February 3, 1959, outside of Clear Lake, … Valens was the first to capitalize on this formula, which was later adopted by such varied artists as Selena, Caifanes, Café Tacuba, Circo, El Gran Silencio, Aterciopelados, Gustavo Santaolalla, and many others in the Latin alternative scene. Dwyer watched from below as the plane lifted into the dark, wintry night. Ritchie, the 'California Kid' was from a family of poverty stricken fruit pickers and was the first rock star to originate from the West Coast and one of the innovators of 'Latino rock. [11], By the autumn of 1958, the demands of Valens' career forced him to drop out of high school. "Valens, Ritchie." Kids knew the performer as "the Little Richard of San Fernando". Another mural went up in 2012 at the intersection of Van Nuys Boulevard and Amboy Avenue, which was painted by Hector Ponce. He began as a guitarist, and when the main vocalist left the group, Valenzuela assumed the position. The tragedy inspired singer Don McLean to write his 1971 hit "American Pie", immortalizing February 3 as "The Day the Music Died". Valens won the toss — sort of. Career: Recording artist: "Come On, Let's Go" (single), 1958; "Donna/La Bamba" (single), 1958; "Fast Freight/Big Baby Blues" (single), 1958; Ritchie Valens (album), 1959; "That's My Little Suzie" (single), 1959; "Little Girl/We Belong Together" (single), 1959; Ritchie, (album), 1959; Ritchie Valens in Concert at Pacioma Junior High, (album), 1960; Ritchie Valens' Greates… Photos of caskets (Photos of caskets). Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. [20], "Boogie with Stu" from Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album was inspired by Valens' song "Ooh, My Head". Holly's bassist, Waylon Jennings, voluntarily gave up his seat on the plane to J.P. Richardson, who was ill with the flu. He was encouraged by his father to take up guitar and trumpet, and later taught himself the drums. The biggest hit at the time was "Donna," along with "Come On, Let's Go," but he's perhaps remembered most today for "La Bamba," based on a Mexican folk song, a driving combination of rock and Latin rhythm. [25], A section of the Interstate 5 Freeway in the northeast San Fernando Valley has been named after Valens. It was put on display in 2013, and is located at Ritchie Valens Park at 10731 Laurel Canyon Boulevard. Swayed by the Little Richard comparison, Keane went to see Valenzuela play a Saturday-morning matinée at a movie theater in San Fernando. Valens had a fear of flying due to a freak accident at his junior high school when, on January 31, 1957, two airplanes collided over the playground, killing or injuring several of his friends.[12]. It is located on private farmland, about one-quarter mile west of the intersection of 315th Street and Gull Avenue, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Clear Lake. Valens also inspired Jimi Hendrix, Chan Romero, Carlos Santana, Chris Montez, and Keith O'Conner Murphy, among others. The plane took off with the three musicians on board into winter weather — snow, driven by wind, reports Ultimate Classic Rock. Valens, whose overnight climb to success was chronicled in this year’s hit movie ″La Bamba,″ was killed in an Iowa plane crash in 1959 at the age of 17 along with Buddy Holly and J.P. Richardson, also known as the Big Bopper. A detailed look at the tragic death of Ritchie Valens. In 1985, artist Manuel Velasquez (assisted by 25 students) created a 12- by 20-ft mural, which was painted on the side of a classroom building at the former Pacoima Junior High (now Pacoima Middle School) depicting Valens's image, records labeled with some of his greatest hits, and the newspaper article about the plane crash that took his life. The pilot himself, Roger Peterson, was just 21. Ritchie Valens. Whatever the reason, the plane crashed in a field about five miles from the airport — it appeared that the plane's right wing tip caught the ground and the aircraft cartwheeled. As with Holly and Richardson, Valens suffered massive and unsurvivable head injuries along with blunt-force trauma to the chest. His star permanently resides at 6733 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Artisan's Patio mini mall. The admission for the show was $1.25, but the concert did not sell out. Family members and friends of the stars made appearances. Flying with him was 17-year-old Ritchie Valens was just 17 and DJ JP Richardson, known as The Big Bopper. Richardson was coming down with the flu and convinced Holly's bass player, Waylon Jennings, to trade transportation with him. Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 4th ed. Valens was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. At first light… It did not credit Valens or Bob Keane, instead crediting Valens' mother. 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