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Ritchie Valens, grave and tombstone, San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Los Angeles, California, photo

Ritchie Valens, grave and tombstone, San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Los Angeles, California, photo

The tombstone and grave site of Richard Steven Valenzuela, better known by his stage name of Ritchie Valens. Valens was born on May 13, 1941 in Pacoima, Los Angeles, California. His professional career lasted less than one year and included less than a dozen recordings but included the 1958 hits of La Bamba and Donna. Richie Valens was killed in a plane crash at Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3, 1959. Also killed in the plane crash were fellow musicians, Buddy Holly and J. P. 'The Big Bopper' Richardson. Waylon Jennings was scheduled to be on the flight but gave up his seat to Richardson who was ill. Valens was on the flight as the result of winning a coin toss.

Richard Steven Valenzuela 'Ritchie Valens' is buried in San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Los Angeles, California. Valens was 17 years old at the time of his death. Also included on his gravestone is his mother, Concepcion Reyes Valenzuela.

The death of Valens, Richardson and Holly is the theme and inspiration for the 1971 hit song, American Pie (The day the music died) by Don McLean. The music career of Valens is dramatized in the 1987 movie, La Bamba, with Lou Diamond Phillips in the role of Valens.

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