LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Ritchie Valens
built 219 days ago
Ritchie Valens (born Ricardo Steven Valenzuela, May 13, 1941 February 3, 1959) was a pioneer of rock and roll and a forefather to the Latin Rock movement. The professional career of Ritchie Valens lasted a period of eight months, during which time he recorded some of the most influential songs of the 1950s rock and roll era. His best known song, "La Bamba", is probably the very first Latin Rock song to become a hit, making Valens the father of the Spanish rock and roll movement. He was born in Pacoima, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, on May 13, 1941. Brought up hearing traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well as flamenco guitar, R&B and jump blues, he expressed an interest in making music of his own by the age of 5. He was encouraged by his father to take up guitar and trumpet, and later taught himself the drums.
Source:
Ritchie Valens (Ricardo Steven Valenzuela, May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959) was a pioneer of rock and roll and a forefather to the Latin Rock movement. His professional career lasted a period of only eight months, during which time he recorded some of the most influential songs of the 1950s rock and roll era. His best known song, "La Bamba," is one of the very first Latin Rock songs to become a hit[1] [2], making Valens the father of the Spanish rock and roll movement. On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as The Day the Music Died, Valens was killed in a small-plane crash in Iowa, a tragedy which ... claimed the lives of fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson.
Source:
Maybe the entire scope of Ritchie Valens' career lasted but eight months. But one need not reflect on what Ritchie Valens would have done had he lived, to gauge his significant impact upon the music. His accomplishments strongly stand as a testament to his influence upon the music. Listen to the way his singing and guitar put his own stamp on such hits as Larry Williams' "Boney Maronie" or his definitive rendition of Leiber & Stoller's "Framed." ~ The way he breathed a new soul into Rock's "Roll" with his compositions of "Donna," "In A Turkish Town," or his treatment of "Bluebirds Over The Mountain." Listen to "From Beyond," recorded "live" only moments after its creation at Pacoima Jr. High and tell me it isn't a predecessor to the Surf Sound. Then there's his merging of Mexican and American folk influences into Rock And Roll. "La Bamba" has been called a major rock music influence by an impressive array that includes musicians like John Lennon and Jimmy Page to respected critics like Lester Bangs.
Source:
Ritchie Valens was only seventeen when he died, his legacy was based primarily on "Donna" and "La Bamba." popular with teenagers. At the time of his death, his hard rocking style was being phased out in favor of teen idols like Fabian and Frankie Avalon. Valens image as an early Latino rocker has lasted and inspired Los Lobos, Freddy Fender, The Midnighters, Trini Lopez and Sunny and the Sunglows. La Bamba became the model for the Isley Brothers' 1961 hit "Twist and Shout." Valens ... inspired the Rascals, Bob Dylan and R.E.M. His untrained voice and guitar style was a basis for the garage band revolution of the early 1960s. In 1987, he was the subject of the successful movie "La Bamba" and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990. Ritchie Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001
Source:
Ritchie Valens was born in Pacoima, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, on May 13, 1941. Brought up hearing traditional Mexican mariachi music, as well as flamenco guitar, R&B and jump blues, he expressed an interest in making music of his own by the age of 5. He was encouraged by his father to take up guitar and trumpet, and later taught himself the drums. One day, a neighbor came across Ritchie trying to play a guitar that had only two strings. He re-strung the instrument, and taught Ritchie the fingerings of some chords. While Ritchie was left-handed, he was so eager to learn the guitar that he mastered the traditionally right-handed version of the instrument.
Source:
Ritchie Valens was born on 13 May, 1941 in Pacoima, a suburb of Los Angeles, California. His real name was Richard Valenzuela. At nine years of age he got his first (Spanish) guitar. As a twelve year old Ritchie had already written several songs, most of which were inspired by Mexican music. He ... displayed considerable singing talent, and became a feature at school assemblies singing and playing the guitar.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Ritchie Valens