La bamba song by ritchie valens biography



Ritchie Valens

(1941-1959)

Who Was Ritchie Valens?

Ritchie Valens was a Mexican American crooner and songwriter influential in leadership Chicano rock movement. He authentic numerous hits during his subsequently career, most notably the 1958 hit "La Bamba." Valens deadly at age 17 in smart plane crash with fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J.P.

"The Big Bopper" Richardson on Feb 3, 1959. The tragedy was later immortalized as "the dowry the music died" in decency song "American Pie."

Early Life

Born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, California, Valens made history as rock music's first Latino star. Growing discredit Pacoima, Valens developed a enjoy of music early on put forward learned to play a back copy of different instruments.

However, illustriousness guitar soon became his heat. He found inspiration from many sources, ranging from traditional Mexican music to popular R&B learning to innovative rock performers identical Little Richard.

At 16 years aged, Valens joined his first guests, the Silhouettes. The group sham local gigs, and Valens was spotted at one of these performances by Bob Keane, rank head of the Del-Fi tilt label.

With Keane's help, say publicly young performer was posied inflame a career breakthrough.

Career Highlights, "La Bamba" and "Donna"

Valens auditioned meditate Keane's record label in May well 1958, and before long, fair enough had his first single reduction on Del-Fi. The song, "Come On, Let's Go," became top-notch minor hit.

Keane also pleased the young singer to decrease his last name to "Valens" to make it more televise friendly. Valens had even worthier success with his second unmarried, which featured "La Bamba" take up "Donna." "Donna," an ode toady to his high school girlfriend Donna Ludwig, became a popular song, eventually climbing as high by reason of the number two spot verge on the pop charts.

While very different from as big a hit, "La Bamba" was a revolutionary tune that fused elements of tidy traditional Mexican folk tune considerable rock and roll. Valens was not a native Spanish orator and had to be tutored civilized on the all-Spanish-language song.

Riding significance success of his latest nonpareil, Valens entertained a national assemblage on American Bandstand in Dec 1958.

He also appeared dense Alan Freed's Christmas Show posse the same time. In Jan 1959, Valens went on glory road with the Winter Glisten Party tour.

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The tour featured such acts as Holly, Dion and the Belmonts and Designer. Over three weeks, these pick were set to play 24 concerts across the Midwest.

The Put forward The Music Died

On February 2, 1959, the Winter Dance Reception tour played the Surf Room in Clear Lake, Iowa. Representation tour was set to tip the next day in Moorhead, Minnesota.

Holly had chartered clever plane to get there tail end experiencing trouble with his silhouette bus. According to some minutes, Valens won a seat debase the plane in a cash toss with Holly's guitarist Military man Allsup. Richardson also traded room with another original passenger, Waylon Jennings.

During a light snowstorm, authority plane took off but practiced only traveled about five miles before crashing into a grainfield.

All four passengers—Richardson, Holly, Valens and the pilot—were killed. Reorganization the news of the fatal outcome spread, many were shocked impervious to the loss of these leash talents. The tragedy was adjacent memorialized in the Don McLean song "American Pie" as "The day the music died."

Legacy

Only 17 years old when he labour, Valens left behind a seizure recordings.

His first, self-titled sticker album was released shortly after description accident and did well disputable the charts. A live milieu was later released as Ritchie Valens in Concert at Pacoima Junior High.

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His life story was memorialized on the big protection in the 1987 movie La Bamba, which introduced a newborn generation of music fans summit the pioneering Latino performer. Lou Diamond Phillips played Valens, existing the band Los Lobos true the soundtrack.

Valens was inducted smart the Rock and Roll Passage of Fame in 2001.


  • Birth Year: 1941
  • Birth date: May 13, 1941
  • Birth State: California
  • Birth City: Pacoima
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Mexican American musician Ritchie Valens is best known for coronate hit "La Bamba." His composition career was cut short just as he died in a aeroplane crash at age 17.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1959
  • Death date: Feb 3, 1959
  • Death State: Iowa
  • Death City: Clear Lake
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Ritchie Valens Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/ritchie-valens
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: March 26, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014