Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Music»Music by Decade»1950s Music
    1950s Music Music R 1 Min Read

    Ritchie Valens

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    Ritchie Valens (real name Richard Valenzuela) was born in California on 13 May 1941.

    As a youngster he sang and played the guitar at school and in 1958 he signed to Del-Fi records in Hollywood and had his first US hit with the single Come On Let’s Go, which was a UK hit for Tommy Steele.

    valens1

    He achieved huge success with the follow-up singles Donna – which he had written for his high school sweetheart, Donna Ludwig – and La Bamba, and Valens seemed set to become one of the biggest singers in the world.

    Tragically, he was killed in the same plane crash which claimed the lives of Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper on 3 February 1959. The Beechcraft Bonanza plane smashed into a cornfield at Ames, Iowa, during a blizzard, killing its distinguished passengers instantly.

    Valens was still only 17 years old. He had won his seat in a coin-toss with Holly’s guitarist Tommy Allsup, who lived until January 2017 when he passed away at the age of 85 after complications from hernia surgery.

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Tommy Sands
      Tommy Sands
      Tommy Adrian Sands was born in Chicago in 1937. Growing up he enjoyed music, particularly country music. In 1944 his…
    • Radiohead
      Radiohead
      It is a well-known fact that the weight of just one hit single can destroy a band - should you duplicate…
    • Carl Perkins
      Carl Perkins
      Born in Lake County, Tennessee, on 9 April 1932, Carl Perkins began playing country music with his brothers Jay and Clayton…
    • Ral Donner
      Ral Donner
      Ralph Stuart Emanuel Donner was born in Norwood Park, Chicago and sang in church as a child. He sang in…
    • Waylon Jennings
      Waylon Jennings
      Following the break-up of The Crickets, Jennings played bass for Buddy Holly. During a particularly harsh winter in February 1958 while…
    • Flamingos, The
      Flamingos, The
      Cousins Jacob 'Jake' Carey and Ezekial 'Zeke' Carey formed this doo-wop group in Chicago, Illinois, after meeting Paul Wilson and…
    • Bobby Freeman
      Bobby Freeman
      17-year-old Bobby Freeman was still at High School in San Francisco when he began enjoying chart hits - none as…
    • Connie Francis
      Connie Francis
      Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero was born in 1938 in Newark, New Jersey to Italian parents and began her career in…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleRiptides, The
    Next Article Roaring Jack

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small. 

    Thank you so much.
    Enjoy your trip in the time machine!

    You may also like

    • Big Bopper, The
      Big Bopper, The
      The "Big Bopper" was born Jiles Perry Richardson on 24 October 1930, in Sabine Pass, Texas. Following military service in…
    • Marty Wilde
      Marty Wilde
      Marty Wilde (real name Reg Smith) was the first of the Larry Parnes stable to make it as Britain searched for its…
    • Waylon Jennings
      Waylon Jennings
      Following the break-up of The Crickets, Jennings played bass for Buddy Holly. During a particularly harsh winter in February 1958 while…
    • Buddy Holly (& The Crickets)
      Buddy Holly (& The Crickets)
      Born Charles Hardin Holley on 7 September 1936, Buddy (as he was nicknamed from an early age by his family)…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.