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Ritchie Valens
Valens (real name Richard Valenzuela) was born in California on 13
May 1941. As a youngster he sang and played 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.
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 airplane 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 is still
alive and in his 70s..
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