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. Fees quoted on this site are subject to change and available only to clients whose matters specifically fall with the described services. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Later, when he started going out to play at different places, I would worry. I tire easily from a recent operation I had. Richard Steven Valenzuela was born on 13 May 1941, in Pacoima, California, USA, of Mexican descent. WATSONVILLE, Calif. . Valens friends formed the Ritchie Valens Recognition Committee and raised the $3,500 for installation of the star on Hollywood Boulevard. I really love his music, said 10-year-old Erin Wilhelm. Suddenly a new song lilted over the airwaves and almost made her run off the road. Ritchie Valens. We bring to you daily trends in Ghana and all around the world. Oh, I get a bit of money now and then. He was a pioneer of Rock' n' Roll and well known as the founding father of the Chicano rock movement. received the recognition and tribute that was due him. 1 on the Billboard pop chart. He is also the father of the Chicano rock movement, and all of his efforts helped put his net worth to . The conversation seemed to have put her in a jovial mood. They reportedly got separated. Not all of the Valenzuela familys memories are quite as pleasant. I was too young to really know my brother, Connie, admitted in an interview with Los Angeles Times. Well, he kept it in his garage after I lost Ritchie. . He often improvised new lyrics and added new riffs to popular songs while he was playing. Her mother, Concepcion died on 18 October 1987in Santa Cruz, Californiaat the age of 72. Elvis Presley, whom she had never met, had one of his bodyguards arrange a date with her so that he could ask her all about Valens. Abby, Thank you for making our estate planning process so easy. I had some business there. Their own daughters, Gloria and Kristin, played their mothers (Ritchies sisters) as young girls. In those days, before son Ritchie became a star, the family lived in the San Fernando Valley. 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. Richies mother would get small amount of money here and there, but Keane retained nearly everything including a classic car allegedly owned by Valens. Even though Luis Valdez (the films screenwriter and director) used his own interpretation of what happened, it couldnt have been any closer for me. ", For almost 30 years now people have been asking her if Valens was the love of her life. His father encouraged him to take up guitar and trumpet and later taught himself the drums. I hung up the phone and called my attorney. Ritchie, who was a native of San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, hopped on a plane from an airport in Mason City, Iowa on February 3, 1959. In the summer of 1986, New Visions (Taylor Hackfords film production company) began filming the story of Ritchies life, as written by Luis Valdez. "As far as I know, Ritchie died a virgin. 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. I ultimately told him to forget about it, she said. "She's certainly got a story to tell. The preview was given by Columbia Pictures to herald the nationwide opening of the film in English and Spanish this week. Ritchie's mother died in 1987, and is buried alongside him. 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 months. I wouldn't even get on a plane until I was 27 years old.". So he had a girlfriend. 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 was not sweet and innocent, I was more of a hell-raiser. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ritchie-Valens, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Biography of Ritchie Valens, Rolling Stone - The Eternal Legacy of Ritchie Valens, Ritchie Valens - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Ritchie Valens - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (2001). Ritchie Valens was born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, and grew up in the San Fernando Valley suburb of Pacioma, California. Contacting us via this website does not create a confidential or attorney-client relationship. Updates and news about all categories will send to you. Ritchie Valens was one of Rock n' Roll's first Latino superstars and has inspired countless musicians around the world. CONNECT. Francisco Lopez Reyes and Maria Refugia Lopez Reyes. It had been released in those eight days since his death. 40 minutes 4 seconds 196.4K. "For a long time when I was young, I used to have dreams about it. . "I was attracted to him because he was a nice man, er " She stops herself. When they (Keane and associates) came in to the mortuary, they brought copies of the album. Start where you are. It was almost too close., Morales, 50, who has lived in Watsonville since the early 70s, once wanted to be a fireman and, later on, an illustrator. Ritchie signed the contract with the record label after his audition on May 27, 1958. At age 16, he got an invitation to be part of a local band, The Silhouettes, where he was a guitarist, and later the main vocalist. He didn't swear. Concepcions ex-husband Joseph Steven Valenzuela died on 8 January 1952, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA, at age 55. According to sources at the time of his death, Connie Lemos father, Joseph, and her mother Concepcion were separated. Another later discovery rocked the community. After his father's death, Lou was adopted by his mother's second husband and he took his surname, Phillips. She grew up to be a strong, intelligent woman with great perseverance February 3, 1959, has gone down in history (and a Don McLean song) as "the day the music died."Rock and roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and "The Big Bopper" J.P Richardson were killed in a plane crash alongside pilot Roger Peterson on this fateful day.Eerily, singer Ritchie Valens, who perished in this accident, had an intense fear of flying and suffered from recurring . Another real-life incident handled differently in the film is when Morales takes Valens to a Tijuana brothel where Ritchie pays little attention to the ladies, but is fascinated by the musicians performing the traditional Mexican folk song, La Bamba. Valens was later to electrify and immortalize La Bamba in 1959 as the first Spanish-language song to make it onto the top 10 pop charts. About Concepcion Valenzuela. Ive gotten used to it now. I was pleased with your expertise, speed, and professionalism. We had gone to Tijuana several times on a family trip with all the kids. A few minutes after takeoff, the aircraft experienced mechanical problems and it crashed into an Iowa field. Looking back, she suspects she was trying to replace Valens. Ritchie Valens died at age 17 in one of the most famous aviation accidents in American history the Feb. 3, 1959, small plane crash in Iowa that also killed fellow rock stars Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. He made several hits, most notably La Bamba and Donna. Get our L.A. A few days before the Aeronautics Board investigation report came out, Dwyers insurance company settled with Richies mother for $75,000 $25,000 each for Richie Valens, Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. He didnt do drugs. "It's really too much. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. (photosinhouse16@gmail.com) Ritchie Valens (born Richard Steven Valenzuela; May 13, 1941 - February 3, 1959) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. And that 57 black and silver-chromed Thunderbird (its blue in the movie) that Keane gave Ritchie? Her tears seem as much for a time gone by as for a lost love. Morales, who was 22 when Ritchie died, had . (The film, however, shows him finding Woody Woodpecker and Buzz Buzzard gels at Columbia Pictures--La Bambas distributor.). A number of the performers caught colds and one was even hospitalized for frostbite. ", Her name is Donna Fox-Coots now, and she manages a Cal Fed Mortgage branch in this Sacramento suburb. Estate Planning Frequently Asked Questions, Powers of Attorney & Healthcare Directives, Terminate Joint Tenancy With Survivorship, How Starting a New Job Can Affect Your Estate Plan, Estate Planning For Unmarried Couples: Why They Should Care, Estate Planning for Unmarried Partners: What You Need to Know, Creditors Threat Inherited Retirement Accounts: What You Need to Know, Protecting Your Retirement Accounts: Five Reasons to Do So Now, Pros and Cons of a Family Limited Partnership, Estate Planning Awareness Week: Having a Conversation with Your Family About Their Estate Plan, Estate Planning Lessons We Can Learn from Encanto. This was before CNN and all news radio, and before most newspapers . He signed a record deal and soon dropped out of high school to pursue his music career. One incident involved the house that Ritchie bought his mother months before his death. At school, he played guitar and sang songs to his friends. 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. In 1957 Ritchie and Donna met at a garage party where Ritchie was playing. ", "He wanted to know all about Ritchie," recalls Fox-Coots, who accompanied Presley to a penthouse party at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. 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. I liked Ritchie a lot, I really cared, but I can't say I loved him. ", In the wake of "La Bamba," some people have questioned just how big a role Fox-Coots really played in Valens' life. Valens died on 3 February 1959 at the age of 17. At the end of 1987, all music publishing rights for Valens compositions were to go to Richies mother. She was 72. 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. Concepcion Valenzuela got married to Joseph Steven Valenzuela on 15 September 1939 in Los Angeles County, California. "I have to tell myself, 'No, Donna! Donna couldnt be found Friday. In a span of less than 18 months in 1958 and 59, his songs Donna, Come On, Lets Go, Thats My Little Susie and his rollicking version of La Bamba, the traditional Mexican folk song, made him a star. But they got it wrong. I certainly will be calling you again if I need any help in the future. It took them eight days to send Ritchies body back from Iowa. Valens, whose real name was Richard Valenzuela, is considered to be the first Chicano to make it big in rock music. She was 72 years old when she died. The body of Richard Valenuela was clothed in a black wool cloth overcoat containing a label "Harris & Drank, Los Angeles, Cal.", a black wool cloth suit containing inside, the coat label "Sohel's, San Fernando Cal.", a white shirt and underclothing. "The sex scenes between me and Ritchie were my big thing," she says. Ritchie Valens, born Richard Steven Valenzuela, passed away at the young age of 17 in 1959 on February 3rd {The Day The Music Died}. His family is poor, and he works as a farm worker after school. Much is unknown about her children but her son Ritchie Valens who was born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, Los Angeles, California, U.S. became a popular guitarist, singer, and songwriter. "Could he read music? When did Connie Valenzuela pass away? The song appears prominently at the end of the 1987 film, La Bamba, during Ritchie Valens' funeral and the subsequent scene of his brother, Bob, screaming Ritchie's name to the heavens. WATSONVILLE, Calif. (AP) _ Connie Valenzuela, the mother of the late rock singer Ritchie Valens, has died of an apparent heart attack. Mama supported and encouraged Ritchie to pursue his love of music, but she was not the typical stage mother; instead, she entrusted Ritchie's career to a professional manager, a decision she would live to regret. Before the report is released, Richies distraught mother decided to pursue legal action and filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against the owner of the aircraft, Jerry Dwyer. La Bamba digital sheet music. 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. Valens played guitar and sang with a local high school band until he was discovered in 1958. Scottsdale attorney Abigail Neal is passionate about helping people, focusing on trusts and estates, probate and business law. 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. 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. I got an insurance policy on his life.. "He looked like Ritchie," she says, "but he was not the same kind of person." 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. 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. Ritchie got a full band of musicians including Rene Hall, Carol Kaye, and Earl Palmer in the studio. Richie didnt have a Will. She was patient, articulate, responsive, and was extremely fair and practical with billing. The song peaked on the charts a few weeks after his death. Mother of 1950s legendary Rock 'n' Roll singer, Ritchie Valens. My husband and I hired Abby to prepare our estate plan. Ritchie Morales' elder brother, Bob had a decent net worth of $100,000 at the time of his death. "Who knows? We'll let Jimmy Page explain the rest Ritchie Valens was just 17 when this song was released, and was the same age when he died. If you find that some photos violates copyright or have unacceptable properties, please inform us about it. . . Greenbambinis posted 12 years ago. "Ritchie deserves one. 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. Also on board were Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. Bob Morales died on 15 September 2018, in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, California, US, at age 81. Reactions: Biltmore. Thats My Little Suzie was about a crippled neighbor girl. 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 album track Boogie With Stu is credited to John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Ian Stewart and Mrs Valens. Since then, the legend of Valens and his love for his girlfriend, Donna, have grown. I never took Ritchie to that brothel. . Many claim that Richie didnt read the agreement he signed with Keane that stated how the royalties from his music were to be handled. Her independent streak gave her the gumption to date Valens against the vehement opposition of her father. Ritchie Valens was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. They will also see that its OK to be sensitive, tender and care for their families, too., Connie Jr., a customer service rep for a local insurance company and the mother of two, summed up how she will always remember her brother Ritchie. 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. Ritchie was "The studio told me they'd take them out, and I said I need some kind of guarantee. He asked his manager if a plane could be chartered to the next show in Fargo, North Dakota. Youngest of all was a rising star of Chicano rock Latin Rock and Roll Ritchie Valens. She also got married to Robert Morales in 1952. Oh well, thats Hollywood, I guess, she added, shifting her attention from the film Jaws, which her grandchildren were watching in the living room. Unprepared for the sudden fame that Ritchies music generated, Connie Valenzuela was also completely unaware of the world of contracts and music rights. I rejoined the family in 1952 because Ritchie was real upset over my (step) Dads death. It was Bobs turn to recall his half-brothers memory. Connie Valenzuela said she plans to return soon to the Million Dollar Theater with her now grown daughters. 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. She prepared a trust, wills, power of attorneys, and healthcare documents for us. ", Fox-Coots says she and Valens had "an arrangement" after he dropped out of high school to record music and tour the country. 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. Ultimately, the Valenzuelas gave him five years to get the project together. She and six of her . I guess we didnt realize that it was going to be about both Bob and Ritchie. . You know in the movie, some of the kids call him Hi Tone, but that wasnt actually his nickname. Since then Fox-Coots has married twice more. 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. Each additional print is $2.99. Abby is incredibly professional and knowledgable. "Originally they had Ritchie as this Chicano toughie Ritchie wasn't like that at all. Deejays began playing a sappy spinoff song about her loss, "Letter to Donna" by a group called the Kittens. His father wasn't around at the outset . I was a kid. She respected our wishes and valued our input. I was too young to really know my brother, Connie Jr., 36, admitted. Ritchie Valens In an all too brief career, Ritchie Valens was the first Chicano rock and roll star, having his best remembered hit, "La Bamba," just one month before his untimely death with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper on February 3, 1959. . On February 3, 1959, he died at 17. They played farm workers in the movies opening sequence. 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. Also Read: Connie Lemos: Facts About Ritchie Valens sister. 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. He was 17. They got married on married 15 Sep 1939 in Los Angeles County, California. Their tragic death is known as The Day the Music Died. Use what you have. He called out of the blue one evening and drawled, "Ya wanna go with Elvis tonight? By age five Ritchie Valens had an interest in making his own music. "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.". Valens's mother, Concha, who died in 1987, is buried alongside him. Mother of Rock Star Ritchie Valens Dies October 20, 1987 WATSONVILLE, Calif. (AP) _ Connie Valenzuela, the mother of the late rock singer Ritchie Valens, has died of an apparent heart attack. Concepcion's son Ritchie Valens was a rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement. Ritchie Valens Registered User. Connie Lemos father, Joe died at age 56 on 8 January 1952 in Los Angeles County, California. While this website is an indirect advertisement for the Neal Law Firm, PLCs legal services, the attorneys of the Neal Law Firm, PLC are not your attorney nor are you our client until you enter into a written agreement with the Neal Law Firm, PLC to provide legal services. He died when I was barely 7. "They got the Coke glasses just right. I told his brother Bob, come on, lets go to Saugus. and amazing insight. Ritchie's death left the world in shock. That crash also killed two Texas rockers, Buddy Holly and J. P. (The Big Bopper) Richardson. He later attended San Fernando High School. Sleepwalk (1 hour) Ritchie Valens. Valdez lives 15 miles away in San Juan Bautista (home for El Teatro Campesino, of which he and Luis are founding members). He made several hits, most notably "La Bamba" and "Donna". July 19, 1987 12 AM PT. Siena Natasha Ponce & Savanna Ala Ponce: Who Are Carlos Ponces Twin daughters? She was a great cook, a fantastic seamstress, and the Childhood & Early Life. Most recently in May 2022, the United States Post Office in Pacoima, California named the post office in honor of Ritchie Valens. . I, of course, was the one that had wound up in the red-light district on several occasions, he smiled mischievously. I don't. Notable songs include "La Bamba" and "Donna." 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. Somehow, Connie Valenzuela seems more resigned than angry about these incidents. In reality, Fox-Coots says, "I was something of a little rebel. Her parents are Francisco Lopez Reyes and Maria Refugia Lopez Reyes. And whenever she laid her head on his shoulder, he always smelled so clean, like soap and water. She opens it to a glossy studio photograph of Valens. According to the Los Angeles Times, Connie Lemos and her sister Irma Padillaappeared in their brothers biopic. Ritchie valens . 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. He has American. But we had Ritchie. I knew about the places he grew up.. a professional manager, a decision she would live to regret. The teen-ager probably dated while on tour in Hawaii, and he was apparently involved with a mystery woman from New York at the time of his death. Ritchies grown up and married sisters Connie Jr. and Irma had small parts as farm workers in the opening sequence. Valens, whose real name was Richard Valenzuela, was a Mexican American who lived in a shack on the wrong side of town. He was a mechanic by profession with no certified license of driving for 25 years of his career. I felt very confident having you by my side when I started my business. Ritchie Valens, original name Richard Stephen Valenzuela, (born May 13, 1941, Pacoima, California, U.S.died February 3, 1959, near Clear Lake, Iowa), American singer and songwriter and the first Latino rock and roll star. If we had known we could work with a lawyer like you we would have done this a long time ago. -- Ritchie Valens' sister, Irma Norton, left, made her first. "16 Candles" by The Crests #4. Only this time they're a little different. They always met between classes in the hallways at school. As a result, Keane controlled Richies music for years. I dont like that, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids, Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, The Weeknd is getting mocked for his response to Rolling Stones The Idol expos, Daisy Jones & the Six review: Riley Keough fronts a rock soap opera, Aaron Carters mom posts awful photos from death scene, pushes for homicide inquiry, Wayne Shorter, influential jazz saxophonist and composer, dies at 89, Travis Scott is sought by New York Police after alleged assault and criminal mischief. Connie Lemos brother Valen was an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. They didnt send him to me by plane. Instead, they sent him on a train to San Fernando. Although she failed to show, he wasnt disappointed. Valens played guitar and sang with a local high school band until he was discovered in 1958. Even the very young--who only know Valens music from oldies radio stations--professed their love. (Her memory falters here, since the song wasnt actually written by Valens but appeared on his first album.) Richard Steven Valenzuela was born May 13, 1941 in Pacoima, California, says Biography. So Id call up one of the deejays, because at that time they would sponsor dances. In 1987, a biographical movie of his life and times entitled 'La Bamba' was released, both the film and soundtrack became a worldwide smash hit with Los Lobos covering his songs on the soundtrack. The record executive that discovered Richie, Bob Keane claimed that he should retain the vast majority of the music rights. At just 17 years old, Valens was the youngest to die in the crash. She died on 18 October 1987, in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, California, USA. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Bob was out there with women and booze; Mom worked a lot, and my dad had left us. Due to material alterations, the residence may not retain sufficient . I feel kind of silly. 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. Ritchie Valens's Death Certificate. Organizers said Ludwig-Coots had been invited to attend the ceremony. Stinky! They dont have to be macho or mean or cuss or take drugs to be a man. Originally, Buddy had chartered the plane for himself, Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup. He (Danny) plays my brother in the film, says Mrs. Valenzuela. Our main focus is to keep you informed and updated with the latest trending issues. In what could be viewed as an ominous portent of future tragedy, Valens avoided an airplane-related death two years earlier. where can you be? He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6733 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. She and Valens had met the summer before their sophomore year at a party for a car club called the Igniters. Thursday at 8:46 PM #1,188 McYams17 said: You guys hate Yamamoto way.. way too much. Her spirit lives on in her children. Updates and news about all categories will send to you. People are wondering what happened to Ritchie Valen's brother, and . It was him.. Updates? 33 sec 13-Nov-2018. The record, which never became popular, remains an acute embarrassment to Fox-Coots. Mark Montalbn: Who is Ricardo Montalbns son? 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. He was accompanied by other big-name artists such as J.P. Richardson and Buddy Holly, as well as pilot Robert Peterson but they never made it to their destination. The release of "La Bamba," the summer movie celebrating Valens' short life, assures her a permanent footnote in the history of pop culture. Dealing with Ritchies former manager and promoter Bob Keane (who spelled his last name Keene until 1970) hasnt been so simpatico, either. "Of course," she says, "no one believed them. 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. She said his mentor and uncle Dickie Cota taught the boy how to strum a guitar and how to sing it in Spanish. . The day later became known as The Day the Music Died. I can remember them so clearly.". It's no accident that Fox-Coots doesn't list her father among her dear ones. . Unfortunately, death interrupted his promising career after he was killed in a plane crash.