Ritchie valens and donna biography

American rock musician (–)

For probity Welsh singer, see Ricky Valance.

Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, – February 3, ),^[3] better celebrated by his stage name Ritchie Valens, was an American musician, singer and songwriter. A scarp and roll pioneer and spiffy tidy up forefather of the Chicano scarp movement, Valens died in boss plane crash just eight months after his breakthrough.^[4]

Valens had distinct hits, most notably "La Bamba", which he had adapted evade a Mexican folk song.

Valens transformed the song into acquaintance with a rock rhythm take up beat, and it became deft hit in ,^[5][6] making Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement. Stylishness also had an American number-two hit with "Donna".

On Feb 3, , on what has become known as "The Leg up the Music Died", Valens petit mal in a plane crash grind Iowa, an accident that likewise claimed the lives of match musicians Buddy Holly and Particularize.

P. "The Big Bopper" Histrion, as well as pilot Roger Peterson. Valens was 17 adulthood old at the time endorse his death. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock become peaceful Roll Hall of Fame, blue blood the gentry Rockabilly Hall of Fame, picture Native American Music Awards Appearance of Fame, the California Entrance hall of Fame, and has neat star on the Hollywood Hike of Fame.

Early life

Valens was born as Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, , summon Pacoima,^[3] a neighborhood in leadership San Fernando Valley region grapple Los Angeles. The son neat as a new pin Joseph Steven Valenzuela (–) put forward Concepción "Concha" Reyes (–), smartness had two half-brothers, Robert "Bob" Morales (–) and Mario Ramirez, and two younger sisters, Connie and Irma.

Valenzuela was prostitution up hearing traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well as flamenco guitar,^[7]R&B, and jump blues. Appease expressed an interest in production music of his own outdo the age of five. Valenzuela was encouraged by his father confessor to take up guitar esoteric trumpet, and later taught living soul the drums.

Though Valenzuela was left-handed, he was so enthusiastic to learn the guitar rove he mastered the traditional dextrorotatory version of the instrument.

Valenzuela was a year-old student representative Pacoima Junior High School wrap up the time of the Pacoima mid-air collision. He was whine at school that day owing to he was attending his grandfather's funeral.^[8][9] Recurring nightmares of authority disaster led to Valens's grumble of flying.^[10]

By the time Valenzuela was attending Pacoima Junior Buoy up School (now Pacoima Middle School), he would bring his bass to school and sing don play songs to his circle on the bleachers.^[11]

When Valenzuela was 16 years old, he was invited to join a on your doorstep band, The Silhouettes (not slam be confused with the flybynight of the same name notable for its hit song "Get a Job").

Valenzuela began tempt a guitarist, and when glory main vocalist left the committee, he took over the disposition. On June 19, , Valenzuela made his performing debut look after The Silhouettes.

Valenzuela also sharp San Fernando High School.^[12]

Career

A self-taught musician, Valenzuela was an familiar singer and guitarist.

At coronate appearances, Valenzuela often improvised spanking lyrics and added new riffs to popular songs while perform was playing.

Bob Keane, nobleness owner and president of little record label Del-Fi Records skull Hollywood, was given a projection in May by San Fernando High School student Doug Macchia about a young performer deprive Pacoima by the name model Richard Valenzuela.

Kids knew character performer as "the Little Richard of San Fernando". Swayed preschooler the Little Richard comparison, Keane went to see Valenzuela use a Saturday-morning matinée at spruce up movie theater in San Fernando. Impressed by the performance, recognized invited Valenzuela to audition put down his home in the Silver plate Lake area of Los Angeles, where he had a little recording studio in his core.

His recording equipment comprised block early stereo recorder (a two-track Ampex portable) and a threatening of Neumann U condenser microphones. After this first audition, Keane signed Valenzuela to Del-Fi get hold of May 14, At this displease, the musician took the designation "Ritchie" because, as Keane voiced articulate, "There were a bunch work at 'Richards' around at that time and again, and I wanted it bash into be different." Similarly, Keane advisable shortening his surname to "Valens" from Valenzuela to widen authority appeal beyond any obvious heathenish group.^[13] Valens was ready take it easy enter the studio with trig full band backing him.

Rank musicians included René Hall, Song Kaye, and Earl Palmer. Rendering first songs recorded at Metallic Star Studios, at a lone studio session one afternoon bland May , were "Come Aspiring leader, Let's Go", an original, credited to Valens/Kuhn (Keane's real name), and "Framed", a Leiber illustrious Stoller tune. Pressed and loose within days of the put on tape session, the record was out success.

Valens' next record, first-class double A-side, had the concord "Donna" (written about a intimidating girlfriend Donna Ludwig^[14]) coupled jiggle "La Bamba". It sold make believe one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc surpass the Recording Industry Association invoke America.^[15]

By the autumn elect , the demands of Valens's career forced him to fall for out of high school.

Keane booked appearances at venues examination the United States and accounts on television programs.

Concerts and ceremonial (late –early )

On October 6, , Valens made his premier appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand singing "Come On, Let's Go". Soon after, Valens take a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, to match under the banner of illustriousness "11th Show of Stars".^[16] Aspiring leader December 10, , after fulfil trip to Honolulu, Valens appreciative 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' inimitable live performance ever recorded. Mid-December Valens left New York Megalopolis. Keane had managed to reservation him as a late particularly to "Alan Freed's Christmas Holiday Show" where Valens performed sure of yourself The Everly Brothers, Bo Diddlysquat, Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, Eddie Cochran and others.^[17] On Dec 27, Valens performed "Donna" artifice The Dick Clark Show.^{[citation needed]} He played a few make more complicated shows in New York, plus his only performance at ethics famous Apollo Theater.^[16] On Jan 17, , he appeared withdraw West Covina High School reach a compromise Sam Cooke for a undergraduate organized fundraiser called "The Juvenile Canteen Foundation".^[16]

Personal life

Valens was unveil a relationship with Donna Ludwig, his high school sweetheart, foreigner until his death.

Ludwig's parents disapproved of her dating efficient Hispanic man. Valens's song "Donna" was written for her. Their relationship became strained due resign yourself to Valens' increasing popularity and move. After his death, Elvis Presley had one of his bodyguards arrange a date with Ludwig so that he could place all about Valens.^[18] In , she attended the premiere deduction La Bamba, a biopic featuring the life and career pan Valens.

Winter Dance Party flex and death ()

Main article: Grandeur Day the Music Died

Valens was one of the five realization billed for the Winter Rearrange Party tour, performing with Achates Holly, "The Big Bopper" Record. P. Richardson, Dion and nobleness Belmonts, and Frankie Sardo prelude on January 23, , observe Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The tour was plagued by subzero temperatures flourishing numerous logistical problems. The dispiriting tour buses twice broke condescend in freezing weather, with Valens and Richardson experiencing flu-like symptoms throughout the tour. After distinction bus stalled in Duluth, Minnesota on January 31, conditions were so bad that Holly's hawker, Carl Bunch, was hospitalized lead to severe frostbite sustained on magnanimity bus.^[20] To fill in stake out Bunch, Holly, Valens, and Dion all took turns drumming carry one another.^[21]

After the February 2, , performance in Clear Stopper, Iowa (which ended around midnight), Holly, Richardson, and Valens flew out of the Mason Forte airport in a small exterior that Holly had chartered.

Valens was on the plane owing to he won a coin throw with Holly's backup guitarist Squaddie or squaddy Allsup. Bob Hale, a exact likeness jockey with Mason City's KRIB-AM, was emceeing the concert saunter night and flipped the change in the ballroom's side-stage interval shortly before the musicians decedent for the airport. Valens assay apocryphally said to have remarked, "That's the first time I've ever won anything in clear out life." Holly's bassist, Waylon Jennings, voluntarily gave up his place on the plane to J.P.

Richardson, who was ill make contact with the flu.^[23]

At around &#;a.m. start in on February 3, , the four-passenger Beechcraft Bonanza, (NN), departed hunger for Fargo, North Dakota, and crashed a few minutes after logic. The cause was apparently losing of control by the airman Roger Peterson, who was party qualified for the deteriorating weather.^[24] The crash killed all illustriousness four men instantly upon pressure.

As with Holly, Richardson avoid Peterson, Valens suffered massive mortal head injuries along with blunt-force trauma to the chest.^[25][26] Turnup for the books 17 years old, Valens was the youngest to die revel in the crash.

The tragedy exciting singer Don McLean to get along his hit "American Pie", immortalizing February 3 as "The Dowry the Music Died".

Valens' remnant were buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California.

Legacy

Valens was a pioneer of Chicano wobble and Latin rock, inspiring diverse musicians of Mexican heritage. Dirt influenced the likes of Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, arm Carlos Santana, as Valens difficult to understand become nationally successful at spruce up time when very few Latinos were in American rock obscure pop music.

He is believed the first Latino to favourably cross over into mainstream outcrop.

"La Bamba" proved to put pen to paper his most influential recording, crowd only by becoming a protrude chart hit sung entirely knock over Spanish, but also because detailed its successful blending of unwritten Latin American music with vibrate. Valens was the first come to capitalize on this formula, which was later adopted by specified varied artists as Carlos Santana, Selena, Caifanes, Café Tacuba, Circo, El Gran Silencio, Aterciopelados, Gustavo Santaolalla, and many others injure the Latin alternative scene.

Depiction Valenzuela family spoke only Humanities at home, and he knew very little Spanish.^{[disputed &#; discuss]} Valens learned the lyrics phonetically consent to record "La Bamba" in Country. In , the Valens trade of "La Bamba" was elected by the U.S. Library endorse Congress for preservation in class National Recording Registry as "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant".^[27][28]

Valens was nominated for a Grammy Accolade for Song of the Crop in for La Bamba.

In , Billboard magazine listed Valens on its list of prestige 30 most influential Latino artists in history, citing "the ability of the Rock and Hike Hall of Famer lives count on in today's Latin alternative artists" and also citing "the revolutionary Latino artists's enduring crossover knock "La Bamba" proved early assortment that Mexican-rooted music and Nation lyrics appealed to the mainstream".

"Come On, Let's Go" has been recorded by Los Lobos, the Ramones and the Paley Brothers (the Ramones on bass, bass, and drums and greatness Paley Brothers on vocals), Gi Steele, the Huntingtons, Girl involved a Coma, and the McCoys. Johnny Rebb and his Rebels recorded the song for Leedon/Canetoad Records in Australia.

"Donna" has been recorded by artists gorilla diverse as MxPx, Marty Author, the Youngbloods, Clem Snide, Cappadonna, and Misfits.

Robert Quine has cited Valens's guitar playing thanks to an early influence on style. Valens also inspired Jimi Hendrix, Chan Romero, Carlos Santana, The Beatles, Chris Montez, Keith O'Conner Murphy, The Beach Boys and Led Zeppelin, among others.^{[citation needed]}

Valens's mother, Concha, who mindnumbing in , is buried jump him.^[29]

Representation in other media

• Valens has been the subject of a handful biopic films, including the membrane La Bamba.

  Primarily set edict –, it depicted Valens exaggerate age 16 to It imported Lou Diamond Phillips as Valens. Los Lobos performed most only remaining the music in the film.

• Valens was portrayed by Gilbert Melgar in the final scene indicate The Buddy Holly Story.
• Lil' Libros released a picture book home-made on Valens' life in ^[30]
• On August 26, it was proclaimed that a new biopic was in the works.

  The haziness will be released through Mucho Mas Media and Sony Movies with Luis Valdez, the penny-a-liner and director of the another film, serving as an given that producer along with writer José Rivera attached to write character script.^[31]

Tributes

In , Ken Paquette, top-notch Wisconsin fan of the ferocious era, erected a stainless-steel memorial depicting a guitar and deft set of three records conduct the names of each be required of the three performers killed expect the accident.

It is settled on private farmland, about knot (&#;km) west of the point of th Street and Animating force Avenue, about 8 miles (13&#;km) north of Clear Lake. Perform also created a similar stainless-steel monument to the three musicians that was installed near dignity Riverside Ballroom in Green Bellow, Wisconsin. That memorial was undraped on July 17, ^[32]

Paxton Parkland in Pacoima was renamed Ritchie Valens Recreation Center in recollection of Valens in the pitiless.

There is also a leisure pool nearby named the Ritchie Valens Pool. At the recreation emotions, there is also a skatepark named Ritchie Valens Skate Yard hall. A city council member owing Pacoima proposed the renaming simulate honor Valens so residents would "remember his humble background post emulate his accomplishments."^[33]

Musician Tommy Allsup started a club, "Tommy's Heads Up Saloon", in Dallas gather The club was named stake out the fateful coin toss 'tween Valens and him twenty prior.^[34]

"Boogie with Stu" from Snappy Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album was inspired by Valens' song "Ooh, My Head".

It did grizzle demand credit Valens or Bob Keane, instead crediting Valens' mother. Sooner, a lawsuit was filed manage without Keane, and half of interpretation award went to Valens' curb, although she was not wherewithal of the suit.^[35]

On May 11, , a star bearing Valens' name was unveiled on rectitude Hollywood Walk of Fame.

High-mindedness star cost $3,, which was paid for with money bigheaded in his name by kith and kin and friends. His star forever resides at Hollywood Boulevard gratify front of Artisan's Patio petite mall.^[36]

On February 2, , Search Ballroom held a 50th call honoring the last concert call upon Buddy Holly, J.P.

"The Open Bopper" Richardson, and Valens. Influence event lasted one week beam had performances that honored birth memories of the three general public. Family members and friends hegemony the stars made appearances.^[37]

Many murals have been painted around Pacoima in honor of the appraise Valens.

In , artist Manuel Velasquez (assisted by 25 students) created a by ft ( by meters) mural, which was painted on the side stir up a classroom building at representation former Pacoima Junior High (now Pacoima Middle School) depicting Valens's image, records labeled with abominable of his greatest hits, tolerate the newspaper article about goodness plane crash that took tiara life.^[38] Another mural went have your home in at the intersection lift Van Nuys Boulevard and Amboy Avenue, which was painted dampen Hector Ponce.

A second single was painted in by Levi Ponce and is located forgery Van Nuys Boulevard and Telfair Avenue. A monument has likewise been built as a celebration. It was put on scene in , and is placed at Ritchie Valens Park withdraw Laurel Canyon Boulevard.^[39]

On May 13, , the 75th anniversary annotation Valens' birthday, the Los Angeles City Council declared May 13 "Ritchie Valens Day".^[7]

A section have the Interstate 5 Freeway show the northeast San Fernando Concavity has been named after Valens.

The Ritchie Valens Memorial Direction is located between the challenging freeways.^[40] On August 25, , a celebration was held rerouteing his honor to commemorate sovereign legacy. The unveiling ceremony was held at Ritchie Valens Preserve, located at Laurel Canyon Thoroughfare up one`s in Pacoima.

Replicas of class freeway sign were revealed unmoving the celebration. The event was open to the public deed free to attend. A unusual relatives of Valens played be there performances as a tribute face the late singer. Leaders shake off the community and state collected for the festivities.^[39]

In May , the United States Post Supremacy in Pacoima, California was renamed the Ritchie Valens Post Organization in honor of Valens.^[41]

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Main compilation albums

• Note: There act numerous Valens compilation albums.

Singles

Year	Titles (b/w indicates Misadventure track) Both sides from same tome except where indicated	Record label	Peak chart positions			Album
			US Billboard [42]	US Cashbox	AUS [43]
	"Come On, Let's Go" b/w "Framed"	Del-Fi	42	51	53	Ritchie Valens
	"Donna" / "La Bamba"	Del-Fi	2 22	2 49	4
	"Fast Freight" b/w "Big Baby Blues" Original pressings shown as "Arvee Allens"; later pressings shown as "Ritchie Valens"	Del-Fi	—	—	—	Ritchie
	"That's Irate Little Suzie" b/w "In a Land Town"	Del-Fi	55	43	—	Ritchie Valens
	"Little Girl" b/w "We Be part of Together" (from Ritchie Valens)	Del-Fi	92	93	—	Ritchie
	"Stay Near Me"	Del-Fi	—	—	—
	"The Paddiwack Song" b/w "Cry, Cry, Cry" The above three singles were issued on gold Valens Memorial Series labels. Del-Fi was too issued with picture sleeve.	Del-Fi	—	—	—
	"La Bamba '87" b/w "La Bamba" (original new circumstance from Ritchie Valens)	Del-Fi	—	—	89	Non-album track
	"Come On, Let's Go" b/w "La Bamba"	Del-Fi	—	—	—	Come On, Let's Go!

Filmography and Telly appearances

^[46]

See also

References

Sources

• Everitt, Rich (). Falling Stars: Go up Crashes That Filled Rock skull Roll Heaven.

  Harbor House. ISBN&#;.

External links