1941 1959 Ritchie real name is Richard Steven

(1941 -1959)

• Ritchie real name is Richard Steven Valenzuela • was born May 13, 1941 • Ritchie’s name became Ritchie Valens after he started recording with Del-fi records. • Ritchie was born in San Fernando Valley just north of Las Angeles California • Ritchie parents divorced in 1944 • Ritchie’s father died in 1951 from diabetes • Ritchie attended Pacoima Junior high and was well liked. • learned to play the guitar at the age of eleven • was in band called “Silhouettes” at San Fernando High School.

• Joseph Steven Valenezuela (Ritchie’s dad) Donna • Concepcion “Connie” Valenzuela (Ritchie’s mom) • Robert Morales (Ritchie’s half brother) • Donna Ludwig (Ritchie’s true love) • Connie Valenzuela (Ritchie’s little sister) • Irma Valenzuela (Ritchie’s little sister) Ritchie Valenzuela Ritchie and Joseph (Dad)

• Mexican folk singers • Relatives that sang • The singing cowboy of Saturday matinee movies • country music singers on the radio

• Was discovered by a part-time talent scout working for Keen Records while singing at American Legion Hall • The owner and president of Del-fi (Keen Records) was Bob Keene. • Nicknamed Bobbo by Ritchie. • First big single “Come on, Let’s go” was released locally in the early summer of 1958. • There were half a million copies sold of this record.

INSTRUMENTS RITCHIE PLAYED STYLE OF MUSIC Guitar Rock -N- Roll Voice Country Electric guitar

• Rock –N- Rolls first Chicano star • The song “Come on, Let’s go” reached #42 in the US, in the late 1950’s and sold over 750, 00 copies • The song “Donna” reached #2 on the national charts. • The song “La Bamba” reached #22 on the national charts.

• February 3 1959 the airplane which Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holley, J. P. Richardson, and the pilot Roger A. Peterson were flying in fell from the sky. • The plane was bound for Fargo, North Dakota • The plane had skidded or rolled about 570 feet before coming to a stop against a barbed wire fence. • Waylon Jennings was supposed to be on this plane but gave his seat up to Richardson due to Richardson having a fever and not needing to ride on the bus with no heater. • No one really knows why the plane crashed but most figure it was due to the white snow around and the snow on the ground. Peterson just flew the plane into the ground.

• At what age did Ritchie Valens die? • What was Ritchie Valens most famous song? • What people died in the plane crash with Ritchie? • What instrument did Ritchie Valens play?

http: //www. history-of-rock. com/ritchievalens. htm http: //www. ritchievalens. net http: //www. classicbands. com/valens. html