Richard Steven Valenzuela May 13, — February 3, , [ 3 ] better known by his stage name Ritchie Valens , was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens died in a plane crash just eight months after his breakthrough. Valens had several hits, most notably " La Bamba ", which he had adapted from a Mexican folk song.
Valens transformed the song into one with a rock rhythm and beat, and it became a hit in , [ 5 ] [ 6 ] making Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement. He also had an American number-two hit with " Donna ". On February 3, , on what has become known as " The Day the Music Died ", Valens died in a plane crash in Iowa , an accident that also claimed the lives of fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J. Valens was 17 years old at the time of his death. He expressed an interest in making music of his own by the age of five.
Valenzuela was encouraged by his father to take up guitar and trumpet, and later taught himself the drums. Though Valenzuela was left-handed, he was so eager to learn the guitar that he mastered the traditional right-handed version of the instrument. Valenzuela was a year-old student at Pacoima Junior High School at the time of the Pacoima mid-air collision. He was not at school that day since he was attending his grandfather's funeral.
By the time Valenzuela was attending Pacoima Junior High School now Pacoima Middle School , he would bring his guitar to school and sing and play songs to his friends on the bleachers. When Valenzuela was 16 years old, he was invited to join a local band, The Silhouettes not to be confused with the group of the same name famous for its hit song "Get a Job".
Valenzuela began as a guitarist, and when the main vocalist left the group, he took over the position. On June 19, , Valenzuela made his performing debut with The Silhouettes. Valenzuela also attended San Fernando High School. A self-taught musician, Valenzuela was an accomplished singer and guitarist. At his appearances, Valenzuela often improvised new lyrics and added new riffs to popular songs while he was playing.
