Remembering the Rock N’ Roll pioneer Ritchie Valens on his 84th birthday

Ritchie Valens had one of Rock music’s shortest and tragic careers, lasting only 8 months, but during that period, the young Rocker scored a string of memorable hit songs that solidified his legend status.

On this day in 1959 Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, all play their last concert at the Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake, Iowa

On February 2nd, 1959, just a few hours before the tragic plane crash that killed them, Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens, three of the rising stars on the Rock N’ Roll scene, all play their last concert at the Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake, Iowa, during the infamous Winter Dance Party Tour.

In 1987 Los Lobos brings back “La Bamba” in their energized version to the top of the charts

The Los Lobos version of this Rock N’ Roll classic by Ritchie Valens was featured in the 1987 biopic of the late legend and earned them worldwide popularity