On The Fly

Podcast -  Happy Birthday, Richie ! 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 w...