Ritchie Valens

II. On February 3, 1959 in Mason City, Iowa at 12:55 AM, a small V-tailed Beachhead 35 Bonanza left runway 17 for Fargo, North Dakota. III. On that tragic day; musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson lost their lives. IV. I’m sure many of you can recognize the song American Pie, written by singer-song writer, Don McLean; but how many of you know what it’s actually about? I’m going to enlighten you to the story behind the son, the tragic crash, the aftermath and the effect it had on history. (1:35) Body I. There were many variables that pushed the group to take a plane to get Fargo, North Dakota. A. Buddy Holly, a famous musician, left his band The Crickets in 1958. 1. Soon after, he rounded up a few musicians to go on the “Winter…

Have you ever wondered who Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P (The Big Bopper) were and what there life was like before there death? Buddy Holly, born in Lubbock, Texas, and just 22 when he died, he began singing country music with high school friends before switching to rock and roll. He then was opening (performing) for various performers, including Elvis Presley. By the mid-1950s, Holly and his band had a regular radio show and toured internationally, playing hits like “Peggy Sue,” “Oh,…

As stated in line 7, Ritchie Valens was a “left handed boy playing a right handed guitar” symbolizing the adversities that he had to face in order to change the stereotypical appearance of a musician. Hepworth depicts the temptations of cultural adaptations that Valens faced yet rejected because of the pride he had for his ethnicity. America wanted to pass Valens off as another stereotype but he was “never ashamed of who [he] was” even when it meant singing “all Spanish lyrics at a time when…

Out of the countless amounts of music that were listened to during the 80s, I enjoyed listening and watching the music videos, Conga, sung by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine, and La Bamba, by Ritchie Valens. To illustrate, Conga was an upbeat, fast-paced, and catchy song. Additionally, the lyrics were simple, yet fun. Not to mention, the music video was very colorful, creative, and artistic. Using show girls, the music video reminded me of Las Vegas showgirls. Also, I loved how they used…

One the beloved myths in music is the one about how Rock 'n' roll allegedly died when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper died in an Iowa plane crash. Elvis was in the Army, Little Richard had given up rock for Jesus Christ, and Jerry Lee had married his teenage cousin. During these years, “real” rock 'n' rollers were replaced by poppy artists which watered down Rock 'n' roll. Many first-generation rockers produced some of their best work in the early '60s -- the Everly Brothers,…

the civil rights movement because the music helped black performers reach a white audience and white performers reach a black audience. However, this did invoke a racist response. Some condemned the music for breaking down barriers and bringing black and white people together.As well as breaking down barriers Rock N’ Roll also pushed boundries. It talked about the thoughts and feelings people had but never mentioned, it was almost taboo to mention such things and shocked many, especially the…

concept? Please, explain your position on this. In doing so, make sure to make mention of the characteristics of Chicano literature and theatre, important figures in these fields and works discussed in class as supporting detail in your answer. (25 points) Chicano literary artists and were the generation during or after the “Americanization” process. The people who didn’t have a say in society, not being able to speak english, or not being able to move about America, had the experience, but not…

“Strange Things Happening Every Day” was recorded:1944 hit "Down by the Riverside" features a solo section where she just shreds the guitar. Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s influences impacted people like Elvis Presley. She was born and raised in the south particularly in Arkansas. Many claim that she is the rightful Mother of Rock and Roll. That’s Alright Mama: Elvis Presley releases his first recording with Sun Records. In his first commercial recording with him, he sings "That's Alright Mama" and…

Latino music and artist adapting to fit mainstream Introduction & Background Latinos have had a long history in the United States and the same goes for Latin American music. As history has shown, Latinos in the Unites States have created new music for Spanish speaking countries, for example salsa was created in New York, Tejano music in Texas and many more music styles. While the United States have helped Latin America develop their music, for Latinos from or outside the U.S it’s difficult for…

wanted to use his music to remind people of simpler times. He remembered how some of the rock legends from when he was younger made him feel and knew that when people were dancing that they were having fun and not focusing on the issues gripping the United States, his goal was simple but significant, “I knew if I had my chance that / I could make those people dance.” Characteristics of people dancing were having fun and not focusing on the Vietnam war, at least for a while. While McLean was…