CineScope
Ritchie Valens picture

Ritchie Valens

Acting
Known For

17 Years Old

Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. 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. Valens had several hits, most notably "La Bamba", which he had adapted from a Mexican folk song. Valens transformed the song into one with a rock rhythm and beat, and it became a hit in 1958, making Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement. He also had an American number 2 hit with "Donna". 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. In 2001, Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Born

Los Angeles, California, USA on 13th May 1941

Died

3rd February 1959

All Credits

The Dick Clark Show Image
The Dick Clark Show
Self
American Bandstand Image
American Bandstand
Self
No Image
The Music Shop
101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment Image
101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment
The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's "American Pie" Image
The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's "American Pie"
Self (archive footage)
Go, Johnny, Go! Image
Go, Johnny, Go!
Himself
No Image
Behind The Music: The Day The Music Died
Self (archive footage)
No Image
The True Buddy Holly Story
Self (archive footage)
Rock 'n' Roll and the 1950's Vol. 2 Image
Rock 'n' Roll and the 1950's Vol. 2
Self (archive footage)