Ritchie Valens Life - Chicano Rock and Roll Star

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Ritchie Valens

By: Ariana Victoriano

    Ritchie Valens was the first Chicano rock and roll star. Ritchie Valens full name was Richard Steven Valenzuela. Ritchie Valens was of Mexican decedent. He was born on May 13, 1941 in Pacoima (near Los Angeles), California. His parents name were Joseph Steven Valenzuela and Concepcion “Connie” Valenzuela. Ritchie had a step-brother named Roberto Morales. Ritchie also had two other sisters Connie and Irma. Ritchie Valens was raised in the Los Angeles suburb of Pacoima. He grew up surrounded by Mexican music but he still listened to black R&B vocal groups like the Crows, the Penguins and the Drifters. His parents later got divorced in 1944. Ritchie spent a great time at his Aunt Ernestine and Uncle Lelo Reyes house when he returned to Pacoima.

    Ritchie was considered to be an average student for which music was a guiding force. He was also considered to have an average singing voice, so his relatives began teaching him to play the guitar at eleven. At the age of thirteen he entered Pacoima Junior High as a seventh grader where he was an average student as well. Ritchie was a bit quiet and well-liked by his classmates. During Ritchie’s Junior High school life he would bring his guitar with him everywhere. At school during his lunchtime he would sit on the bleachers and practice or entertain his friends with his music. By the time Ritchie entered San Fernando High School he was playing the guitar at school assemblies and after school parties. His junior year he was 16 he joined the Silhouettes, a band named after a song by the Rays. The Silhouettes were the only rock and roll band in the area which quickly became the local stars. This is where Bob Keane found Ritchie Valens the young performer was about to have a career breakthrough.

    Valens auditioned for Keane’s record label on May 1958. Ritchie Valens first minor hit was “Come on, Let’s Go”. Keane encouraged him to shorten his last name to “Valens” to make his name more radio friendly. Valens had an even greater success with his second single, which featured “La Bamba” and “Donna”. Donna Ludwig was his high school girlfriend which the song “Donna” was written about. Ritchie’s song “La Bamba” was a revolutionary song that fused elements of a traditional Mexican folk tune with rock and roll. Even though Ritchie Valens was Mexican-American he was not a native Spanish speaker and had to be coached on the all-Spanish-language song. With Valens latest single he entertained a national audience on American Bandstand that December. On January 1959, Valens went on the road with the Winter Dance Party Tour. The tour had featured Buddy Holly, Dion and the Belmont’s, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson.