Ritchie Valens Wiki, Age, Bio, Height, Wife, Career, Net Worth

Ritchie Valens was a well-known professional guitarist, singer, and songwriter from the United States. Ritchie Valens is well-known for ushering in a new genre, Mexican melodies, into mainstream music.

Wiki, Bio, Age,  Family, Siblings, Childhood & Education

Ritchie Valens was born on May 13, 1941, as Richard Steven Valenzuela. His birth occurred in Pacoima, Los Angeles, California, USA. Likewise, he was an American citizen who practiced Christianity. In addition, he was born under the sign of Taurus.

Moving on, he was born to his father, José Esteban Valenzuela, and his mother, Concepción “Concha” Reyes. His parents were Mexican. He also has two brothers, Roberto Bob Morales and Mario Ramirez. Furthermore, he had two younger sisters named Connie and Irma. Ritchie was raised on traditional Mexican mariachi music. Despite being left-handed, he learned the right-handed version of guitar playing due to his strong passion in music.

In terms of his educational background, he attended Pacoima Junior High School. He used to carry his guitar to school and sing songs with his classmates. He attended San Fernando High School after finishing junior high.

On February 3, 1959, Death Ritchie was flying out of Mason City following his performance in Clear Lake. Unfortunately, his plane crashed shortly after takeoff. The reasons behind this are still unknown. All three passengers, as well as the pilot, were killed in the crash. He left this world when he was only 18 years old.

Ritchie Valens’s Height, Weight & Body Measurement

Ritchie was a young, tall, and beautiful man with enhanced physique dimensions. In terms of height and weight, he stood 5 feet 7 inches or 1.7 meters tall and weighed 75 kg or 165 pounds. His other physical data, however, are unavailable. In addition, based on his photographs, he had black hair and grey eyes.

Ritchie Valens’s Profession & Career

Ritchie began his musical career as a guitarist and singer. He was known to improvise lyrics and add new riffs to the music he performed. He was well-known at his high school, and his classmates and colleagues dubbed him “the Little Richard of San Fernando.” Del-Fi Records owner Bob Keane noticed his performance at a movie theater in San Fernando. Keane invited him to an audition at his house after being impressed by his performance. In his basement, Keane maintained a small recording studio.

On May 27, 1958, Ritchie signed a contract with the record company following his audition. Because there were other Richards around at the time, he adopted the moniker “Ritchie” for himself. In addition, he changed his surname from Valenzuela to Valens. Rene Hall, Carol Kaye, and Earl Palmer were among the musicians who joined Ritchie in the studio. “Come on, Let’s Go” was his first recorded song. After only a few days of recording, the song was released. “Donna” was the title of his next and final record. At the time, it sold a million copies and was even given a gold disc. By the autumn of 1958, he had dropped out of high school to pursue a career in music.

Ritchie Valens’s Income & Net Worth

At the time of his death, the singer-songwriter and guitarist was reported to have a net worth of $500 thousand US dollars. It was a large sum at the time, and he acquired it at a young age.

Ritchie Valens’s Wife, Marriage & Relationship

In terms of his romantic life, he never marries. When he was at school, he was in a love connection with his girlfriend Donna Ludwig. He also wrote the hit song “Donna” for her.

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