The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's "American Pie"
2022 · 5.9/10
New
Ritchie Valens
Actor · born 13 May 1941 · Los Angeles, California, USA
Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens was killed in a plane crash eight months into his recording career.
Valens had several hits, most notably "La Bamba", which he had adapted from a Mexican folk song. Valens transformed the song into one with a rock rhythm and beat, and it became a hit in 1958, making Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement. He also had an American number 2 hit with "Donna".
Where to start: The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's "American Pie" (2022).
