Ritchie Valens

Ritchie Valens (born Richard Steven Valenzuela; May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959) was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens' recording career lasted only eight months. During this time, he had several hits, most notably "La Bamba", which was originally a Mexican folk song. Valens transformed the song into one with a rock rhythm and beat, and it became a hit in 1958,^[2][3] making Valens a pioneer of the Spanish-speaking rock and roll movement.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritchie Valens
• Ritchie Valens on www.findagrave.com