Birthdate: May 13, 1941 Family: Parents: Joseph Steve and Concepcion (Connie) Reyes Valenzuela, brothers Robert (Bobby) and Mario, sisters, Connie and Irma. They didnt send him to me by plane. I was a little nervous the first time I saw the film. ), When Valens died, his first album hadnt even been released yet (though the film shows Keane giving them out at record hops). who played her in Not all of the Valenzuela familys memories are quite as pleasant. And that 57 black and silver-chromed Thunderbird (its blue in the movie) that Keane gave Ritchie? Fees quoted on this site are subject to change and available only to clients whose matters specifically fall with the described services. As with Holly and Richardson, Valens suffered massive and unsurvivable head injuries along withblunt-force traumato the chest. He was like my mom, dad or best friend. can still lift themselves up with willpower, a positive attitude, hard work, Ritchie Valens' mom, Connie Valenzuela, passed in 1987. I was not sweet and innocent, I was more of a hell-raiser. Watching bits of her youth flash onto the big screen has even brought back the old dreams. She respected our wishes and valued our input. "Ritchie deserves one. In 2001 Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. My brother was blond. "For a long time when I was young, I used to have dreams about it. Ritchie Morales' elder brother, Bob had a decent net worth of $100,000 at the time of his death. and a strong faith. Mrs. Consuelo (Connie) Valenzuela would often take her kids to the Spanish-language movies, especially to the Million Dollar Theater in downtown Los Angeles where they would see master comic Cantinflas and Mexican charro/singer Tito Guizar. Donna 1959, Donna's senior class photo from James Monroe High School. Organizers said Ludwig-Coots had been invited to attend the ceremony. It was rough. she says, totally absorbed. According to sources at the time of his death, Connie Lemos father, Joseph, and her mother Concepcion were separated. Since then, the legend of Valens and his love for his girlfriend, Donna, have grown. After their February 2, 1959, performance inClear Lake, Iowa, Holly, Richardson, and Valens flew out of theMason Cityairport in a small plane that Holly had chartered. Well, he kept it in his garage after I lost Ritchie. Each additional print is $2.99. She has two daughters who grew up bragging to their friends that their mother was the actual Donna. She and six of her . I pulled over to the side of the road when Come On, Lets Go came on the radio. On Feburary 2, 1959, rock and roll legend Richie Valens was killed in a plane crash in Iowa. Ritchie Valens Collection Album 2021- The Best Of Thomas Anders - All Time Songs List Ritchie Valens. Abby, Thank you so much for forming my LLC. "Of course," she says, "no one believed them. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Valens, whose overnight climb to success was chronicled in this years hit movie La Bamba, was killed in an Iowa plane crash in 1959 at the age of 17 along with Buddy Holly and J.P. Richardson, also known as the Big Bopper. His insurance company settled for $75,000. My experience working with her was by far the best experience Ive had in working with an attorney. After the film was over I just wanted to hold on to both of them. Failed to subscribe, please contact admin. Bob Morales,Irma Norton,Mario Ramirez, Ritchie Valens. To get to the bottom of the cause of the crash experts from the Civil Aeronautics Board came to the crash site to launch an investigation. Hes my own little Ritchie, Connie Jr., his aunt chortled, as she hugged the embarrassed youngster. He was raised listening to traditional Mexican mariachi music, flamenco guitar, R&B, and jump blues. But away from the excitement of the screening, Connie Valenzuela, 72, sat in one of her daughters homes, surrounded by her several children and grandchildren. The 17-year-old died in a small plane crash in Iowa on Feb. 3, 1959, along with Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson and the pilot. The conversation seemed to have put her in a jovial mood. And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of Billboard's Top 10 on February 23rd, 1959: At #3. He has American. Valens was only 17 years old. At the end of 1987, all music publishing rights for Valens compositions were to go to Richies mother. You know Bob Keane has controlled Ritchies music for all these years. So I did. I liked Ritchie a lot, I really cared, but I can't say I loved him. "Going back to school after he died was so hard. Dressed in black leather pants with a colorful jacket and Indian jewelry, he was undeniably an older version of the rebel and womanizer portrayed in the film. The world didn't learn that a real-life Donna had inspired the classic teen-age lament, which sold almost a million copies in the late '50s, until five months later when the 17-year-old Valens died in the same plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. An unveiling of the Ritchie Valens Memorial Highway will take place on Aug. 25 at Ritchie Valens Park in Pacoima. Yet hardly anyone in the Valenzuela family had met her before he died, and one of Valens' former business associates recently stated that Fox-Coots was little more than a casual acquaintance of Valens. He and his mother Concepcion Valenzuela were buried by each other. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dear Abby, Thank you again for your help. You know in the movie, some of the kids call him Hi Tone, but that wasnt actually his nickname. (photosinhouse16@gmail.com) Joe died at his residence at 13058 Filmore Street. Connie Lemos is the sister of Ritchie Valens. One day Herb called me and said to sign a contract just in case anything might happen to Ritchie; otherwise, I wouldnt get anything. I loved my mother and sister and brother.". We went over to his house one day to get it away from him--Connie Valenzuelas voice was stern as she continued--but he kept insisting it was his., Keane, an L.A. big band leader and record producer, has just released a 12-inch Latin dance cut--La Bamba 87--using an alternate take of Valens vocal track recorded during the original 1958 session). Ritchie Valens. Valens, whose real name was Richard Valenzuela, was a Mexican American who lived in a shack on the wrong side of town. CITRUS HEIGHTS, CALIF. -- The first hint Donna Ludwig had that she might become a rock 'n' roll legend came on a bright October day in 1958. With that, several people nearby broke again into the familiar chorus: Donna . By age five Ritchie Valens had an interest in making his own music. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. The ceremony was laced with cheers and shouts at the mere mention of links to Valens past--San Fernando, Pacoima or even the word Chicano., Listen, I grew up with Ritchie on the radio, recalled Joe Alvarez of Downey. So I did. Sleepwalk (1 hour) Ritchie Valens. Connie Lemos parents are Concepcion Valenzuela and Joseph Steven Valenzuela. Valens, of course, was the pioneering Chicano rocker who managed to write and record "La Bamba," "Come On, Let's Go" and "Donna" as a high school sophomore during a career that lasted only eight. The house was heavily damaged by fire in 1967 and Ritchies gold record for Donna and one of his guitars were destroyed, along with other mementos. The family gave him two years to come up with something. In fact, songs still reference "The day the music died" even today, leaving Valens' family to carry on his legacy. This caused major anxiety for Dwyer, especially since Dwyer was operating his air transport business without being incorporated, meaning his personal assets could be taken to satisfy any potential judgment. It became their song. It took them eight days to send Ritchies body back from Iowa. Her niece, Diane Amezquita of San Jose, said she had been hospitalized since Friday. He didnt do drugs. Ritchie Valens was an immediate sensation: "Come On, Let's Go," his first single, soared on the national pop charts. Ritchie Valens was just 17 when this song was released, and was the same age when he died. Her independent streak gave her the gumption to date Valens against the vehement opposition of her father. owner of several businesses. I told his brother Bob, come on, lets go to Saugus. I remember calling New Visions one day and asking if the film was still about Ritchie. It's no accident that Fox-Coots doesn't list her father among her dear ones. While the demand for Valens records has grown, his fans and relatives have been clamoring for greater recognition of his accomplishments. Pale and thin, she clutched a framed 8-by-10 picture of Valens hard against her chest. He made several hits, most notably La Bamba and Donna. Richie didnt have a Will. ", For almost 30 years now people have been asking her if Valens was the love of her life. (1959). A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement. Ritchie Valens's Death Certificate. Hoping to capitalize on the brief romance, her father arranged for her to sing two songs, "Lost Without You" and "Now That You're Gone," on the Pop label. Ritchie Valens (born Richard Steven Valenzuela; May 13, 1941 - February 3, 1959) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. . She was 72. "It was horrible. Her parents are Francisco Lopez Reyes and Maria Refugia Lopez Reyes. We bring to you daily trends in Ghana and all around the world. He had four siblings, most notably his older brother, Bob Morales, who was portrayed as a bike riding enthusiast in the 1987 movie, La Bamba. She was buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, Los Angeles County, California. Valens purchased the home for his mother in 1958 and resided here until his death in 1959, which was the most productive period of his professional career. Valenzuela's recording career as Ritchie Valens lasted just eight months in the late 1950s, when he flirted with the top of the charts and the silver screen. Another theory claimed that a fight broke out between the performers and one shot another. Just one fave moment from this week: In a dream, Rory talks to her mother, and it's Madeleine Albright, who is a pretty good actor. ", Sometimes even she has trouble believing it ever happened. "I remember Ritchie saying he'd written this song for his girl, Donna," says Bob Keane, his former manager, "but I never heard anything else about her.". Morales went on a downward spiral following his brother's death after turning to alcohol. Rock and Roll singer Ritchie Valens poses for a photo during the filming of 'Go, Johnny, Go!' on January 20, 1959 in Los Angeles, California. I had a 1950 Olds then. I couldn't tell if she was a hanger-on or not, but if Ritchie had had a girlfriend I would have been the last person he would have told about it. Charley Palmer Rothwell: Who Is Patsy Palmers Son? While quoted fees are appropriate for many clients, some may require additional services. The demands of his career forced him to drop out of high school. Her mother, Concepcion died on 18 October 1987 in Santa Cruz, California at the age of 72. Ritchie Valens, born Richard Steven Valenzuela, passed away at the young age of 17 in 1959 on February 3rd {The Day The Music Died}. The Valens familys on-screen counterparts were also at the screening: Lou Diamond Phillips, who plays Ritchie; Rosana De Soto, who is seen as Connie Valenzuela, and Esai Morales, who portrays the jealous half-brother, Bob Morales--the role that is pivotal in the film. Morales, the older brother of famed musician Ritchie Valens, was an icon in his own right. Contacting us via this website does not create a confidential or attorney-client relationship. Suddenly a new song lilted over the airwaves and almost made her run off the road. Unfortunately, death interrupted his promising career after he was killed in a plane crash. View the original document, from of findadeath.com. They got married on married 15 Sep 1939 in Los Angeles County, California. He showed a talent for music at an early age, teaching himself how to play a number of instruments. Finally, Buddy Holly had enough. Although many people seem confused about this, under the laws of most states a person needs to be 18 or older to execute a Will or sign any other legal documents. She then tried to manage an Asian-Mexican singer, Chan Romera, who gained some regional recognition in California with his version of Hippy Hippy Shake. After attending a Ritchie Valens memorial dance here, she decided to move from Pacoima, which harbored many unhappy memories. One theory was that Peterson was overcome with admiration for his superstar passengers. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Mamas strength and dignity are beautifully portrayed by Roseana DeSoto, Donna . As Richie was only 17 he didn't have a Will - under the laws of most states a person needs to be 18 or older to execute a Will or sign any other legal documents. Clash: Let's start with a life-changing event. If you find that some photos violates copyright or have unacceptable properties, please inform us about it. The album track Boogie With Stu is credited to John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Ian Stewart and Mrs Valens. Unfortunately, death interrupted his promising career after he was killed in a plane crash. Thank you to family friend Peterson David for his assistance in writing the biographies for the family. Ritchie valens . She said his mentor and uncle Dickie Cota taught the boy how to strum a guitar and how to sing it in Spanish. In the winter of 1959, Richie Valens was traveling the Midwest on a rock and roll tour called The Winter Dance Party. Also on the tour were Buddy Holly, with his backup band including Tommy Allsup, Waylon Jennings and Carl Bunch and The Big Bopper. WATSONVILLE, Calif. . Just before her passing in 1987, she formed Hi-Tone Five Corporation for He was something special. I really dont understand the things that they say in todays music.. Richard Steven Valenzuela was born on 13 May 1941, in Pacoima, California, USA, of Mexican descent. ", Fox-Coots says she and Valens had "an arrangement" after he dropped out of high school to record music and tour the country. Its brought us all so much closer., Irma, 35, nodded in approval of her sisters evaluation. I ultimately told him to forget about it, she said. I never knew all the problems poor Bob went through or all my mother had to put up with him at the time. In those days, before son Ritchie became a star, the family lived in the San Fernando Valley. As the first Mexican-American hitmaker in the U.S., he laid the groundwork for Chicano rock and . Rock historian Beverly Mandheim says there's no question Valens was involved with Fox-Coots, but that she wasn't his only infatuation. I still have the check somewhere., As far as the Thunderbird, Keane said: I may have told Ritchie at one time that if he kept doing as well as he was, I might get him a car. However, the recordings made by Richie are owned by Keane in perpetuity. But I finally put on a brave front and said to myself, Im going to play them before I bury him, and I did., The years after Valens death were lean ones. I don't. ", In the wake of "La Bamba," some people have questioned just how big a role Fox-Coots really played in Valens' life. Ritchie Valens was just 17 years old when he changed the course of pop music in the late 1950s. Concepcions son Ritchie Valens was a rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement. Stinky! Ritchie Valens suffered massive and unsurvivable head injuries along with blunt-force trauma to the chest. He successfully beat prostate cancer after his recovery. "As far as I know, Ritchie died a virgin. she says. . But they got it wrong. After her date passed out from drinking too much beer, Valens began singing "We Belong Together" directly to her. I really love his music, said 10-year-old Erin Wilhelm. The performers actually started fires in trash cans on the bus just to keep warm. Her big date with Elvis Presley came a year after her high school graduation while she was working as a nightclub hostess in Los Angeles. 33 sec 13-Nov-2018. The crew cleaning up after the crash found the site littered with candy bars. Connie Lemos brother Valen was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. One of Valens favorite songs, Mrs. Valenzuela said, was a childs lullaby he called The Paddi Wack Song, which he sang accompanied by his guitar to his young sisters in the familys backyard. He died when I was barely 7. She has never forgiven him for his "bigoted" rejection of Valens or for the recording deal he pressured her into after the singer's death. Ritchie Valens was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. CLEAR LAKE To the rest of the world, Ritchie Valens is a rock 'n' roll icon. She was reflective, if a little dim, about memories of her son, who died Feb. 3, 1959 in a plane crash during a snowstorm in Iowa. ALSO, READ; Isabella Patricia Phillips, Lou Diamond Phillips daughter. According to the Los Angeles Times, Connie Lemos and her sister Irma Padillaappeared in their brothers biopic. She rocks to the left, and rocks to the right described her. Another, Hurry Up, came from an expression that Valenzuela said she used to get her kids to do chores. Although totally unprepared to enter the world of contracts and music rights, she claims that one day Herb (Keanes partner) called me and said to sign a contract just in case anything might happen to Richie Valens; otherwise, I wouldnt get anything. Arguably, since Richie entered into the contract as a minor the contract should have been void. She feels the film will be an inspiration for todays Latino youth. Ritchie Valens was a talented musician and singer who achieved fame in the late 1950s with hits like "La Bamba" and "Donna." Despite his young age, Valens had a successful career and was able to provide for his family, including buying a house for his mother. Valens, of course, was the pioneering Chicano rocker who managed to write and record "La Bamba," "Come On, Let's Go" and "Donna" as a high school sophomore during a career that lasted only eight. Abby is incredibly professional and knowledgable. . La Bamba digital sheet music. Highly recommended. The Valens family now lives in the Central California farming community of Watsonville (south of San Jose). Her brother Bob passed in 2018. He made his first recordings in March 1958, so he was actively recording only for about 10 months. . You answered all of my questions and made this process easy. However, people still couldnt explain why the plane went down. In 1959, a plane with The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly crashed while you all were on the Winter Dance Party tour, killing all three . Roberto Bob Morales, Ritchie Valens, Connie Lemos, Irma Norton, and Mario Ramirez are the names of Concepcion Valenzuelas children. When he was younger, a freak accident occurred over his school playground in which two planes collided, killing and injuring a number of Richies friends. However as the heirs of Richie's estate . Valens hit records included Come On, Lets Go, Donna, and a rock version of a traditional Mexican folk song, La Bamba., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Valens was only 17 years old. I ran with a pack of girls and I was their leader.". At the time of the interview, Connie was a customer service rep for a local insurance company and the mother of two. not the typical stage mother; instead, she entrusted Ritchies career to The newly named highway stretch is located on the I-5 freeway between state Routes . This guy {from Columbia Pictures} says, 'Trust me.' But we had Ritchie. Mother of 1950s legendary Rock 'n' Roll singer, Ritchie Valens. Bob Morales Was the Elder Half-Brother of Ritchie Valens, The Late Chicano Rock Star Roberto Bob Morales was born on the 9th of March 1937 in Los Angeles, California. People are wondering what happened to Ritchie Valen's brother, and . We still have pictures in an album of the kids posed with a typical donkey. "She's certainly got a story to tell. Also on board were Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. Laboe never listened to me. received the recognition and tribute that was due him. At just 17 years old, Valens was the youngest to die in the crash. Apart from Ritchie Valens, Connie had three other siblings. Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month. Childhood & Early Life. Valens friends formed the Ritchie Valens Recognition Committee and raised the $3,500 for installation of the star on Hollywood Boulevard. Ritchie Valens made his performing debut with The Silhouettes on October 19, 1957. His short career ended when he died at age 17 in the 1959 plane crash in which Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper also perished. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. (The film, however, shows him finding Woody Woodpecker and Buzz Buzzard gels at Columbia Pictures--La Bambas distributor.). Morales reluctantly admitted, as his younger sisters teased him, that his mom beat him up one night when he arrived home in a drunken state. (Here are selected photos on this topic, but full relevance is not guaranteed.) Valens was born Richard Steven Valenzuela in Pacoima, California in 1941. I didn't want a big thing made about it. If we had known we could work with a lawyer like you we would have done this a long time ago. "I asked if she dated Ritchie and she said yes. He was never too busy for us. Fox-Coots, whose father managed a Packard automobile dealership in Beverly Hills, regularly sneaked out of her bedroom window to meet Valens at San Fernando hangouts like the Rainbow Roller Rink or Bob's Big Boy. In the spring, the farmer over whose field the plane had crashed found a gun when all the snow had melted. ", Nevertheless, both times she's seen "La Bamba," she's had to run out to the lobby to cry. Rumors abounded that one of the stars had run out of drugs and feigning for a fix. She had cried hearing it then, not because she suspected he would ever make her famous by recording it, but because she was 15 years old and to have a boy sing a song he'd written about her, even late at night when no one else could hear, seemed enough like a dream come true. In fact, when Donna Ludwig (Ritchies teen-age girlfriend whom he immortalized in the song Donna) read the script, Ulloa had to change it because he had portrayed Donnas parents as bigots. Actually, Connie Valenzuela explained, Donnas mom liked Ritchie, it was her father who didnt. Valens played guitar and sang with a local high school band until he was discovered in 1958. He signed a record deal and soon dropped out of high school to pursue his music career. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Ritchie Valens was born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, and grew up in the San Fernando Valley suburb of Pacioma, California. When they (Keane and associates) came in to the mortuary, they brought copies of the album. He died when I was barely 7. His story is told in the film La Bamba (1987). "He looked like Ritchie," she says, "but he was not the same kind of person." ALSO, READ; Anne Robin Morrison- Truth About Jim Morrisons sister. She received more than 8,000 lettersafter a fan magazine printed her address. The body wasnt too good, but I paid $50 for each tire and I bought five. licensing the rights to Ritchies name and image. Thursday at 8:46 PM #1,188 McYams17 said: You guys hate Yamamoto way.. way too much. Valens died on 3 February 1959 at the age of 17. But this time theyll be seeing the Spanish-language version of La Bamba, the new movie about her sons all-too-brief singing career and her family. At age 15, Ritchie Valens was a student at Pacoima Junior High School, now Pacoima Middle School. The recordings, however, are another matter. Since then Fox-Coots has married twice more. The devastated public demanded to know why the plane crash. When the Beechcraft Bonanza carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper crashed outside Clear Lake, Iowa, in the early morning hours of February 3, 1959, it struck the ground with such . Still, Are . Rising American rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson are killed when their chartered Beechcraft Bonanza plane crashes in Iowa a few minutes after takeoff. . According to friends, Ritchie Valens wanted to become a success in rock 'n' roll so he could buy his mother a nice home. Concepcions ex-husband Joseph Steven Valenzuela died on 8 January 1952, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA, at age 55. After many family difficulties and some trouble with the law, he finally matured and settled down. He made several hits, most notably "La Bamba" and "Donna". Once, I called Art Laboe and told him it was time to get the guys home. It was him.. I guess we didnt realize that it was going to be about both Bob and Ritchie. When the Aeronautics Board investigation report came out, it attributed the cause of the crash to pilot error. "I really can't believe this is happening again," the 45-year-old business executive says. I can sing the words to all his songs.. When Keanes partner, the late Herb Montie, contacted her about a managing contract for her son, Ritchie was already playing clubs and being recorded by Keane. "The studio told me they'd take them out, and I said I need some kind of guarantee. Fox-Coots consented to sing the songs, she says, but only after a contract was drawn up ensuring that her share of the royalties would go to Valens' mother. (Her memory falters here, since the song wasnt actually written by Valens but appeared on his first album.) Donna remembers being summoned out of class to the principal's office at James Monroe High School, where the press snapped photographs of her. Despite this, as the heirs of Richies estate, they should have had the intellectual property rights in Richies music. The Plane Crash that Claimed Three Rock Legends Smithsonian Channel 4.03M subscribers Subscribe 2.6K 200K views 4 years ago The death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in an. It had been released in those eight days since his death. In what could be viewed as an ominous portent of future tragedy, Valens avoided an airplane-related death two years earlier. But I never really promised him one.. He was eight months into his music career. He was on tour with singer Buddy Holly and Texas disc jockey J. P. (The Big Bopper) Richardson when their small plane crashed in a frozen Iowa cornfield on Feb. 3, 1959, killing them. She's only consented to a few interviews, she says, and then only because she wanted to promote "La Bamba" for the Valenzuela family, which is receiving a percentage of the film's profits. Oh Donna, oh Donna . She was 72 years old when she died. But they could not explain her absence. Our main focus is to keep you informed and updated with the latest trending issues. He was 17. Name: Ritchie Valens (birth name: Richard Stephen Valenzuela) Ritchie was nicknamed "The Little Richard of the San Fernando Valley". He showed a talent for music at an early age, teaching himself how to play a number of instruments. Use what you have. I was a kid. Morales, who was 22 when Ritchie died, had . Ritchie Valens was pure, Rocha said. It did not matter that the guitar-strumming teen-ager from Pacoima has been dead for 31 years.