Sharing my love for the first decade of rock and roll!
Ritchie Valens:

Ritchie Valens, the first Latino musician to cross over into the mainstream, was a pioneer of Chicano rock and Latin rock, inspiring numerous Latin musicians, such as Carlos Santana and Los Lobos. In addition to his heritage, Valens’ guitar skills influenced a plethora of six-stringers, including Jimi Hendrix and Chris Montez.
Valens’ major hits include, “La Bamba,” “Donna,” and “Come On Let’s Go.”
Valens was killed after a concert in Clear Lake, Iowa, along with fellow artists Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, as well as pilot Roger Peterson in 1959.
Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.