Ritchie Valens Tribute

As hard as it is to believe, Rock-n-Roll legend Ritchie Valens would have turned 80 years old this past Thursday.

He was born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, CA. Among his peers, Sunny & the Sunglows, The Sir Douglas Quintet, and Thee Midniters, Ritchie Valens created themes heavily based on 1950s R&B music.

Ritchie is considered a forefather of the Chicano rock movement and modern Latino rock music. And one of the pioneers of contemporary rock-n-roll music.

As a young man, Ritchie Valens was a gifted guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Among his most recognized hits, Come on Lets Go, Donna, We Belong Together, and La Bamba, to name a few. He made his national debut on American Band Stand hosted by Dick Clark on October 6, 1958, in Philadelphia.

Sadly, Ritchie Valens' career was too short. His recording career lasted eight months, professionally active from 1957 through 1959.

Along with Buddy Holly and J. P. Richardson, "The Big Bopper," Ritchie was killed in a tragic plane crash on February 3, 1959, in Clear Lake, Iowa. He was just 17.

However, his music lives on. As I began to learn guitar, his melodies inspired me to learn to play. Readers of this blog may remember the post titled, What the Cat Heard from Sept. of 2016.

Despite his brief career, Ritchie Valens' lasting impact on rock-n-roll music affected many distinguished artists including, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Los Lobos, Ricky Martin, and Brian Wilson have credited Ritchie as influencing their careers.

Ritchie Valens was elected to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 and enshrined in the Rock' n Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Happy birthday, Ritchie, your music lives on!

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