would have been 63 today. But, as everyone knows, Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, along with Buddy Holly and “The Big Bopper,” J.P. Richardson. Valens was 17.
In the course of his short life, Ritchie Valens left a lasting impact on rock and roll with the classic rocker “La Bamba.” A high-energy reworking of an old Mexican wedding song, its driving simplicity foreshadowed garage-rock, frat-rock and punk-rock. Ironically, “La Bamba” was the B-side of “Donna,” a paean to Valens’ girlfriend that rose to #2 on Billboard’s singles chart. “La Bamba” also charted, peaking at #22. This double-sided smash is one of the greatest rock and roll singles of the Fifties.
Or so says the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.
La Bamba was one of the NPR 100. Listen to story [Real Audio].