The star cost $3,500, which was paid for with money raised in his name by family and friends. He also had an American number-two hit with "Donna". Morales, the older brother of famed musician Ritchie Valens, was an icon in his own right. "La Bamba" proved to be his most influential recording, not only by becoming a pop chart hit sung entirely in Spanish, but also because of its successful blending of traditional Latin American music with rock. Valens had a fear of flying due to a freak accident at his junior high school when, on January 31, 1957, two airplanes collided over the playground, killing or injuring several of his friends.[12]. Ritchie Valens: His manager, Bob Keane Remembers The day the music died. His recording equipment comprised an early stereo recorder (a two-track Ampex 601-2 portable) and a pair of Neumann U-47 condenser microphones. Impressed by the performance, he invited the youth to audition at his home in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, where he had a small recording studio in his basement. Ritchie Valens Death. When the story of "The Day the Music Died" (thank you, Don McLean) gets told, J.P. Richardson is usually a supporting player at best, a distant third to Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. Everyone was quickly exhausted. We are yet to observe the family statement on this death. This page was last edited on 18 April 2021, at 05:48. Valens offered to flip a coin for a plane seat with another member of Holly's band, Tommy Allsup. The event was open to the public and free to attend. His mother was actress Connie Valenzuela. The tragedy inspired singer Don McLean to write his 1971 hit "American Pie", immortalizing February 3 as "The Day the Music Died". The event lasted one week and had performances that honored the memories of the three men. Valens learned the lyrics phonetically to record "La Bamba" in Spanish. The NTSB says it is considering re-opening the investigation into the plane crash that killed musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, along with the pilot Bob Keane, the owner and president of small record label Del-Fi Records in Hollywood, was given a tip in May 1958 by San Fernando High School student Doug Macchia about a young performer from Pacoima by the name of Richard Valenzuela. (Here are selected photos on this topic, but full relevance is not guaranteed.) On February 3rd, 1959. Richard Steven Valenzuela was born May 13, 1941 in Pacoima, California, says Biography. The following photos show the crash site of the plane that carried Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "The Big Bopper." That's how Don McLean saw it in his song "American Pie". Colin Larkin. Ironically, the Valenzuela family spoke only English at home, and he knew very little Spanish. Although the cause of death has not been released, the “Whoa!” rapper has suffered a series of strokes since 2015. [7] When he was 16 years old, he was invited to join a local band, The Silhouettes (not the group famous for its hit song "Get a Job"). Whatever the reason, the plane crashed in a field about five miles from the airport — it appeared that the plane's right wing tip caught the ground and the aircraft cartwheeled. Valens was born Richard Steven Valenzuela in Pacoima, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. Ritchie Valens was born in 1941 and skyrocketed to stardom at an incredibly young age. Ritchie Valens Cause Of Death No information has been giving out on the cause of death yet. Holly, Richardson, and Valens were thrown from the wreckage; Peterson was found entangled in what was left of the plane. Advertisement The tragedy happened in 1959 in Iowa, just minutes after the takeoff of the airplane in Mason City, on a flight bound for Moorehead, Minnesota. Valenzuela died Sunday at Watsonville Community Hospital. No one who died in the 1959 plane crash, that day the music died, was an old man. He was the second of five siblings with older brother Bob Morales, younger sisters Connie and Irma, and younger brother Mario Ramirez. DeadDeath is yet to confirm the cause of death. Youngest of all was a rising star of Chicano rock — Latin Rock and Roll — Ritchie Valens. At this point, the musician took the name "Ritchie" because, as Keane said, "There were a bunch of 'Richards' around at that time, and I wanted it to be different." The story of Ritchie Valens ' life is tragic: right when the musical prodigy's career was taking off, the day "the music died," happened. Valens's remains were buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California. Robert Quine has cited Valens' guitar playing as an early influence on his style. Bob Morales. The plane took off with the three musicians on board into winter weather — snow, driven by wind, reports Ultimate Classic Rock. Ritchie passed away on February 3, 1959 at the age of 17 in Clear Lake, Iowa, USA. Valens also inspired Jimi Hendrix, Chan Romero, Carlos Santana, Chris Montez, and Keith O'Conner Murphy, among others. He began as a guitarist, and when the main vocalist left the group, Valenzuela assumed the position. Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Though Valenzuela was left-handed, he was so eager to learn the guitar that he mastered the traditional right-handed version of the instrument. 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