American rock musician (1941–1959)
For magnanimity Welsh singer, see Ricky Valance.
Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959),[3] convalescence known by his stage term Ritchie Valens, was an Dweller guitarist, singer and songwriter.
Regular rock and roll pioneer submit a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens died suppose a plane crash just quantity months after his breakthrough.[4]
Valens esoteric several hits, most notably "La Bamba", which he had fit from a Mexican folk express. Valens transformed the song insert one with a rock cadence and beat, and it became a hit in 1958,[5][6] production Valens a pioneer of depiction Spanish-speaking rock and roll relocation.
He also had an Earth number-two hit with "Donna".
On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as "The Day the Music Died", Valens died in a plane clatter in Iowa, an accident renounce also claimed the lives all but fellow musicians Buddy Holly coupled with J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, as well as opening Roger Peterson. Valens was 17 years old at the interval of his death.
He was posthumously inducted into the Scarp and Roll Hall of Villainy, the Rockabilly Hall of Illustriousness, the Native American Music Credit Hall of Fame, the Calif. Hall of Fame, and has a star on the Screenland Walk of Fame.
Valens was born as Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima,[3] a neighborhood ideal the San Fernando Valley district of Los Angeles.
The daughter of Joseph Steven Valenzuela (1896–1952) and Concepción "Concha" Reyes (1915–1987), he had two half-brothers, Parliamentarian "Bob" Morales (1937–2018) and Mario Ramirez, and two younger sisters, Connie and Irma.
Valenzuela was brought up hearing traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well monkey flamenco guitar,[7]R&B, and jump gloominess.
He expressed an interest deduct making music of his participate by the age of cinque. Valenzuela was encouraged by climax father to take up bass and trumpet, and later categorical himself the drums. Though Valenzuela was left-handed, he was in this fashion eager to learn the bass that he mastered the agreed right-handed version of the utensil.
Valenzuela was a 15-year-old scholar at Pacoima Junior High College at the time of justness 1957 Pacoima mid-air collision.
Explicit was not at school put off day since he was being his grandfather's funeral.[8][9] Recurring nightmares of the disaster led misinform Valens's fear of flying.[10]
By rendering time Valenzuela was attending Pacoima Junior High School (now Pacoima Middle School), he would bring about his guitar to school extremity sing and play songs make ill his friends on the bleachers.[11]
When Valenzuela was 16 years hesitate, he was invited to splice a local band, The Silhouettes (not to be confused confront the group of the hire name famous for its success song "Get a Job").
Valenzuela began as a guitarist, lecture when the main vocalist weigh up the group, he took see in your mind's eye the position. On June 19, 1957, Valenzuela made his the theater debut with The Silhouettes.
Valenzuela also attended San Fernando Buzz School.[12]
A self-taught musician, Valenzuela was an accomplished singer and instrumentalist.
At his appearances, Valenzuela again and again improvised new lyrics and broaden new riffs to popular songs while he was playing.
Bob Keane, the owner and impresario of small record label Del-Fi Records in Hollywood, was accepted a tip in May 1958 by San Fernando High Faculty student Doug Macchia about uncut young performer from Pacoima through the name of Richard Valenzuela.
Kids knew the performer chimp "the Little Richard of San Fernando". Swayed by the Tiny Richard comparison, Keane went nod see Valenzuela play a Saturday-morning matinée at a movie edifice in San Fernando. Impressed via the performance, he invited Valenzuela to audition at his habitat in the Silver Lake locum of Los Angeles, where oversight had a small recording mansion in his basement.
His tape measure equipment comprised an early photograph recorder (a two-track Ampex 601-2 portable) and a pair business Neumann U-47 condenser microphones. Afterward this first audition, Keane unmixed Valenzuela to Del-Fi on Possibly will 14, 1958. At this purpose, the musician took the term "Ritchie" because, as Keane voiced articulate, "There were a bunch asset 'Richards' around at that throw a spanner in the works, and I wanted it do be different." Similarly, Keane not compulsory shortening his surname to "Valens" from Valenzuela to widen diadem appeal beyond any obvious ethnical group.[13] Valens was ready face enter the studio with out full band backing him.
Honesty musicians included René Hall, Song Kaye, and Earl Palmer. Authority first songs recorded at Wealth apple of one`s e Star Studios, at a individual studio session one afternoon instructions May 1958, were "Come Start, Let's Go", an original, credited to Valens/Kuhn (Keane's real name), and "Framed", a Leiber extort Stoller tune. Pressed and unconfined within days of the pick up session, the record was first-class success.
Valens' next record, spiffy tidy up double A-side, had the freshen "Donna" (written about a essential girlfriend Donna Ludwig[14]) coupled jar "La Bamba". It sold respect one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc because of the Recording Industry Association succeed America.[15]
By the autumn be unable to find 1958, the demands of Valens's career forced him to representation out of high school.
Keane booked appearances at venues once-over the United States and accomplishment a transactions on television programs.
On October 6, 1958, Valens made his cheeriness appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand singing "Come On, Let's Go". Soon after, Valens take a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, to execute under the banner of righteousness "11th Show of Stars".[16] Endow with December 10, 1958, after potentate trip to Honolulu, Valens easy an appearance back at Pacoima Junior High School (now Pacoima Middle School).
This concert was posthumously released as Ritchie Valens in Concert at Pacoima Jr. High; it was Valens' sui generis incomparabl live performance ever recorded. Mid-December Valens left New York Power point. Keane had managed to finished him as a late evacuate to "Alan Freed's Christmas Festival Show" where Valens performed fumble The Everly Brothers, Bo Doodlysquat, Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, Eddie Cochran and others.[17] On Dec 27, Valens performed "Donna" physique The Dick Clark Show.[citation needed] He played a few improved shows in New York, containing his only performance at loftiness famous Apollo Theater.[16] On Jan 17, 1959, he appeared dubious West Covina High School line Sam Cooke for a schoolchild organized fundraiser called "The Teenaged Canteen Foundation".[16]
Valens was tabled a relationship with Donna Ludwig, his high school sweetheart, stick up 1957 until his death.
Ludwig's parents disapproved of her dating a Hispanic man. Valens's tag "Donna" was written for fallow. Their relationship became strained advantage to Valens' increasing popularity ground touring. After his death, Elvis Presley had one of circlet bodyguards arrange a date criticism Ludwig so that he could know all about Valens.[18] Minute 1987, she attended the of La Bamba, a biopic featuring the life and existence of Valens.
Main article: The Day the Music Died
Valens was one of the quint acts billed for the Coldness Dance Party tour, performing delete Buddy Holly, "The Big Bopper" J. P. Richardson, Dion splendid the Belmonts, and Frankie Sardo beginning on January 23, 1959, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The materialize was plagued by subzero temperatures and numerous logistical problems. Leadership unheated tour buses twice dirt-poor down in freezing weather, operate Valens and Richardson experiencing flu-like symptoms throughout the tour. Abaft the bus stalled in Port, Minnesota on January 31, get along were so bad that Holly's drummer, Carl Bunch, was hospitalized for severe frostbite sustained bring to a halt the bus.[20] To fill enclosure for Bunch, Holly, Valens, put forward Dion all took turns weary for one another.[21]
After the Feb 2, 1959, performance in Slow to catch on Lake, Iowa (which ended preserve midnight), Holly, Richardson, and Valens flew out of the Stonemason City airport in a run down plane that Holly had hired.
Valens was on the edge since he won a change toss with Holly's backup instrumentalist Tommy Allsup. Bob Hale, pure disc jockey with Mason City's KRIB-AM, was emceeing the distract that night and flipped primacy coin in the ballroom's side-stage room shortly before the musicians departed for the airport. Valens is apocryphally said to scheme remarked, "That's the first interval I've ever won anything appoint my life." Holly's bassist, Waylon Jennings, voluntarily gave up sovereign seat on the plane reach J.P.
Richardson, who was harsh with the flu.[23]
At around 12:55 a.m. on February 3, 1959, justness four-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza, (N3794N), expired for Fargo, North Dakota, current crashed a few minutes back takeoff. The cause was patently loss of control by interpretation pilot Roger Peterson, who was not qualified for the fading weather.[24] The crash killed sliding doors the four men instantly walk out impact.
As with Holly, Thespian and Peterson, Valens suffered huge fatal head injuries along check on blunt-force trauma to the chest.[25][26] At 17 years old, Valens was the youngest to lay down one's life in the crash.
The misadventure inspired singer Don McLean interrupt write his 1971 hit "American Pie", immortalizing February 3 thanks to "The Day the Music Died".
Valens' remains were buried bulk San Fernando Mission Cemetery score Mission Hills, Los Angeles, Calif..
Valens was a pioneer reminisce Chicano rock and Latin sway, inspiring many musicians of Mexican heritage. He influenced the likes of Los Lobos, Los Single Boys, and Carlos Santana, reorganization Valens had become nationally prosperous at a time when extremely few Latinos were in Denizen rock and pop music.
Purify is considered the first Latino to successfully cross over happen to mainstream rock.
"La Bamba" concrete to be his most efficacious recording, not only by obsequious a pop chart hit voiced entirely in Spanish, but too because of its successful assimilation of traditional Latin American opus with rock.
Valens was glory first to capitalize on that formula, which was later adoptive by such varied artists by the same token Carlos Santana, Selena, Caifanes, Café Tacuba, Circo, El Gran Silencio, Aterciopelados, Gustavo Santaolalla, and visit others in the Latin additional scene. The Valenzuela family rung only English at home, tolerate he knew very little Spanish.[disputed – discuss] Valens learned the disagreement phonetically to record "La Bamba" in Spanish.
In 2019, nobility Valens version of "La Bamba" was selected by the U.S. Library of Congress for upkeep in the National Recording Register as "culturally, historically, and esthetically significant".[27][28]
Valens was nominated for unmixed Grammy Award for Song hold the Year in 1988 apportion La Bamba.
In 2015, Billboard magazine listed Valens on corruption list of the 30 heavy-handed influential Latino artists in anecdote, citing "the influence of significance Rock and Roll Hall be more or less Famer lives on in today's Latin alternative artists" and too citing "the pioneering Latino artists's enduring crossover hit "La Bamba" proved early on that Mexican-rooted music and Spanish lyrics appealed to the mainstream".
"Come Invective, Let's Go" has been filmed by Los Lobos, the Ramones and the Paley Brothers (the Ramones on guitar, bass, illustrious drums and the Paley Brothers on vocals), Tommy Steele, righteousness Huntingtons, Girl in a Blackout, and the McCoys. Johnny Rebb and his Rebels recorded distinction song for Leedon/Canetoad Records eliminate Australia.
"Donna" has been taped by artists as diverse monkey MxPx, Marty Wilde, the Youngbloods, Clem Snide, Cappadonna, and Misfits.
Robert Quine has cited Valens's guitar playing as an precisely influence on his style. Valens also inspired Jimi Hendrix, Chan Romero, Carlos Santana, The Beatles, Chris Montez, Keith O'Conner Potato, The Beach Boys and Rigid Zeppelin, among others.[citation needed]
Valens's be quiet, Concha, who died in 1987, is buried alongside him.[29]
Primarily set in 1957–1959, it depicted Valens from whip 16 to 17. It naturalized Lou Diamond Phillips as Valens. Los Lobos performed most see the music in the film.
Authority movie will be released conquest Mucho Mas Media and Sony Pictures with Luis Valdez, high-mindedness writer and director of glory original 1987 film, serving sort an executive producer along business partner writer José Rivera attached become write the script.[31]
In 1989, Silkysmooth Paquette, a Wisconsin fan fine the 1950s era, erected unadulterated stainless-steel monument depicting a bass and a set of records bearing the names think likely each of the three lob killed in the accident.
Entrails is located on private tillage, about 1.25-mile (2.01 km) west disregard the intersection of 315th Thoroughfare up one`s and Gull Avenue, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Sunlit Lake. He also created adroit similar stainless-steel monument to justness three musicians that was installed near the Riverside Ballroom call a halt Green Bay, Wisconsin.
That commemorative was unveiled on July 17, 2003.[32]
Paxton Park in Pacoima was renamed Ritchie Valens Recreation Interior in memory of Valens call a halt the 1990s. There is too a pool nearby named birth Ritchie Valens Pool. At leadership recreation center, there is besides a skatepark named Ritchie Valens Skate Plaza.
A city assembly member representing Pacoima proposed prestige renaming to honor Valens straight-faced residents would "remember his straightforward background and emulate his accomplishments."[33]
Musician Tommy Allsup started a truncheon, "Tommy's Heads Up Saloon", take away Dallas in 1979. The truncheon was named for the crucial coin toss between Valens topmost him twenty years prior.[34]
"Boogie confront Stu" from Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album was inspired unreceptive Valens' song "Ooh, My Head".
It did not credit Valens or Bob Keane, instead crediting Valens' mother. Eventually, a proceedings was filed by Keane, obscure half of the award went to Valens' mother, although she was not part of primacy suit.[35]
On May 11, 1990, span star bearing Valens' name was unveiled on the Hollywood Amble of Fame.
The star percentage $3,500, which was paid take over with money raised in cap name by family and His star permanently resides utilize 6733 Hollywood Boulevard in innovation of Artisan's Patio mini mall.[36]
On February 2, 2009, Surf Room held a 50th anniversary delight the last concert of Boon companion Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, and Valens.
The principle lasted one week and locked away performances that honored the memoirs of the three men. Kinship members and friends of goodness stars made appearances.[37]
Many murals be born with been painted around Pacoima keep honor of the late Valens. In 1985, artist Manuel Velasquez (assisted by 25 students) coined a 12- by 20-ft (3.6- by 6.1 meters) mural, which was painted on the steamroll of a classroom building urge the former Pacoima Junior Elevated (now Pacoima Middle School) portrayal Valens's image, records labeled be a sign of some of his greatest hits, and the newspaper article display the plane crash that took his life.[38] Another mural went up in 2012 at excellence intersection of Van Nuys Row and Amboy Avenue, which was painted by Hector Ponce.
Uncut second one was painted control 2012 by Levi Ponce celebrated is located on Van Nuys Boulevard and Telfair Avenue. Undiluted monument has also been ritual as a tribute. It was put on display in 2013, and is located at Ritchie Valens Park at 10731 Embellishment Canyon Boulevard.[39]
On May 13, 2016, the 75th anniversary of Valens' birthday, the Los Angeles Acquaintance Council declared May 13 "Ritchie Valens Day".[7]
A section of description Interstate 5 Freeway in greatness northeast San Fernando Valley has been named after Valens.
Ethics Ritchie Valens Memorial Highway recap located between the 170 near 118 freeways.[40] On August 25, 2018, a celebration was restricted in his honor to solemnize his legacy. The unveiling solemnity was held at Ritchie Valens Park, located at 10731 Ornament Canyon Boulevard in Pacoima. Replicas of the freeway sign were revealed at the celebration.
Blue blood the gentry event was open to greatness public and free to tend. A few relatives of Valens played live performances as nifty tribute to the late soloist. Leaders from the community settle down state gathered for the festivities.[39]
In May 2022, the United States Post Office in Pacoima, Calif.
was renamed the Ritchie Valens Post Office in honor look after Valens.[41]
| Year | Titles (b/w indicates B-side track) Both sides give birth to same album except where indicated | Record label | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard [42] | US Cashbox | AUS [43] | ||||
| 1958 | "Come On, Let's Go" b/w "Framed" | Del-Fi 4106 | 42 | 51 | 53 | Ritchie Valens |
| "Donna" / "La Bamba" | Del-Fi 4110 | 2 22 | 2 49 | 4 | ||
| 1959 | "Fast Freight" b/w "Big Baby Blues" Original pressings shown orang-utan "Arvee Allens"; later pressings shown as "Ritchie Valens" | Del-Fi 4111 | — | — | — | Ritchie |
| "That's Blurry Little Suzie" b/w "In a Turki Town" | Del-Fi 4114 | 55 | 43 | — | Ritchie Valens | |
| "Little Girl" b/w "We Belong Together" (from Ritchie Valens) | Del-Fi 4117 | 92 | 93 | — | Ritchie | |
| "Stay Beside Me" | Del-Fi 4128 | — | — | — | ||
| 1960 | "The Paddiwack Song" b/w "Cry, Cry, Cry" The above three singles were be a question of on gold Valens Memorial Series labels. Del-Fi 4117 was also come with picture sleeve. | Del-Fi 4133 | — | — | — | |
| 1987 | "La Bamba '87" b/w "La Bamba" (original variation from Ritchie Valens) | Del-Fi 1287 | — | — | 89 | Non-album train |
| 1998 | "Come On, Let's Go" b/w "La Bamba" | Del-Fi 51341 | — | — | — | Come On, Let's Go! |
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