The Cemetery of Rock
R.I.P.
Ritchie Valens
Date of Birth:May 13, 1941
Date of Death: February 3, 1959
Cause of Death: Died in a plane crash along with the Big Bopper and Buddy
Holly. They were doing a tour of the U.S. midwest called the 'Winter Dance
party Tour'. Holly had hired the four seater plane to fly ahead of the
rest of the touring party so as he could get his laundry done and avoid
the cramped, cold tour bus. They were flying from Clear lake, Iowa to Fargo,
North Dakota. The Big Bopper, tired of squeezing into the small tour bus
swapped his seat with bass player, Waylon Jennings. Valens wins a coin
toss for his seat. The plane crashed eight miles from takeoff. According
to Don McLean it was "the day the music died".
Final Resting Place: San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Mission Hills, California,
USA.
Claim to Fame: Aged only seventeen when he died, Valens was the first Mexican-American
kid to make it big in Rock. His classic hit was 'La Bamba'. There is also
a tribute movie with the same name.
A memorial at the Crash Site. (Picture thanks to Marc Frank)
A Shot of the Crash Site.