It’s been 66 years since the tragic death of Mexican-American music icon Ritchie Valens, whose singing and songwriting influenced the Chicano rock movement. Valens recorded several popular songs during his brief career, including the 1958 super hit “La Bamba.” He died on February 3, 1959, in Grant Township, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, in a plane accident with fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. The horrific incident was later immortalized as “the day the music died” in the song “American Pie.” Valens was only 17 years old, and this is his sad story.
A Closer Look
Ritchie Valens was born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, CA. Early on, he developed a love of music and learned to play several instruments, specifically the guitar.…