| |
 |
Original Ritchie, the Ritchie Valens Store, opened May of 2006. Please click on to Original Ritchie for a visit. We hope you will love what you find there "Our Best Sellers" the music "CD"S" and the T-shirts. The Family would like to thank all of customers both here in the USA , Australia, and the United Kingdom we are not only National but International.
For the best selection in Ritchie Valens CD's just click on "Music" once in Original Ritchie.
A Reissue of Ritchie's First Guitar: the H44 Stratotone
Ritchie with his Harmony
Click here to order
Be the first to get your Ritchie Valens Signature Series Guitar They are available here now !!!
The Ritchie Valens Harmony Signature Series Guitar sales are going well. The feed back has been very positive. The Signature Series owners are loving their new guitars.
The Guitar is available in different colors: Golden Bronze, Green with Ritchie Valens Signature and Black.
The Harmony H44 Stratotone was originally issued in a golden bronze color. In 1957 when Ritchie got his he decided he would change it up a bit, he painted it. The cool color of the time was a rocking green so he took it to his wood shop class at San Fernando High School and made it his own. Harmony is offering both versions the before offered in the golden bronze color and the green Ritchie Valens version. Only the green has the Ritchie Valens Signature.
The Family is offering them at the special price of $499.00. Click here to order yours. Suggested list price is $999.99
|
|
|
 |
The Family would like to thank our hosts, Ellen Bello, Rosemary Fernandez and all our Indian Family for such a warm welcome at this years Induction of our brother Ritchie into NAMA Native American Music Awards, special thanks to Tommy Allsup and his beautiful Nicole for making the trip. Thanks for sharing your story Tommy. We love you. To view pictures go to www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com. To view the video of Tommy Allsup, Mario and The Backyard Blues Band performance go to www.backyardblues.com .
The Ritchie Valens Family would like to congratulate Latin Music USA , Laurens Grant and John Valadez producers of hour 3 & 4 La Onda Chicana The Mexican Wave, and all our local PBS stations for airing this series if you missed it it is still available at www.pbs.org look for featured videos link click on Latin Music USA , look for hour three. It starts with a wonderful introduction and then kicks off with Ritchie's segment. We would like to acknowledge Bob Keane Ritchie's manager and Gil Rocha Ritchie's band mate for their contributions . To purchase your copy look for shop pbs at the top of the page.
Los Lobos performed Ritchie Valens La Bamba at White House event Fiesta of Latin Music.Thanks guys.
Winter Dance Party 2010
Winter Dance Party Concert 2110 in Watsonville CA February 6, 2110 at the Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets should be available by mid -November. Show and ticket info to follow.
NAMA - Native American Music Awards
The Native American Music Awards is inducting Ritchie into their Eleventh Annual Hall of Fame, Saturday October 3, 2009 at The Seneca Niagara Hotel and Casino in Niagara Falls, New York. Mario, Ritchie's brother and The Backyard Blues Band will be performing Ritchie's music. The Family will be there to accept Ritchie's Award. Previous inductees include Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix and Crystal Gayle.
We are pleased to announce that Tommy Allsup has agreed to be the presenter for Ritchie at this years NAMA Awards. February 3, 1959. Ritchie asked for Tommy's seat on the Ill-fated plane Tommy said he would flip Ritchie for it, Ritchie won the coin toss. Ritchie's family believes that because of the special bond they share with Tommy this will be one of the evening hi-light's. For more info on the NAMA Awards please go to www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com
It's Ritchie Valens Day in L.A.(article from the Daily News Los Angeles).
Fifty Winters Later Surf Ballroom Clear Lake Iowa
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the plane crash that took the lives of Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly an J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson.
A week long tribute featuring artists of all genres of music, fans from 7 countries and 43 states and the families of Ritchie Valens,Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper made this an incredibly memorable event.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum partnered with The Surf Ballroom for this historical celebration.
The Rock Hall put on a week long series of educational programs at all the local schools,symposiums, where fans could come and listen to interviews given by the family members of Ritchie Valens , Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper, also fans who actually attended the final concert and musicians whose lives were inspired by Ritchie , Buddy and The Big Bopper and take part in a Q & A session.( Note: These Symposium Interviews will be available at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010).
Part of the week long events included the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame dedication of the Surf Ballroom as a historic rock and roll landmark.
The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to the Surf , Jeff, Laurie, Sean and Paul the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Terry, Lauren, Shelby, Katherine, and John, Harmony Guitar, Charlie, Dave and Chris and to all the countless volunteers for dedicating their time and incredible energies especially Paul and Mary who adopted us as family. Also a big shout out to our friends from across the Pond.
Donna's Scrapbook live. The Ritchie Valens Family gratefully acknowledges Donna's contributions to this page. All information and photo's authorized by Donna Fox. All photo's used with permission, Donna Fox, Alan Clark (Alan Clark Archives), Judy Willis and Michelle Hoover (www.michellehoover.com) also we would like to acknowledge Pascale our webmaster here at Ritchie Valens.com for her effort and dedication to our site.
 |
|
|
|
News from Mario:
Mario and the Backyard Blues Band have a new CD. They have recorded Ritchie's "That's my Little Susie" along with new Backyard originals. For more info on the new CD & performance schedule go to www.backyardblues.com.
Great News Backyard Blues Fan's the website is now "LIVE": www.backyardblues.com
A memorable night at the surf
A Tribute to Buddy, Big Bopper, and Ritchie
The world still loves your music after all these years
Rock n' Roll unfolded
The crowds stood up and cheered
The SURF is where it's happenin', so be there or be a square
The bands are warming up
Anticipation fills the air
Guys are shined in Brylcreem, new blue jeans all rolled up
Watch the girls and ask em to dance
Smoke Lucky's from a cuff
Bobby sox, saddle shoes, and can-cans all a fluff
A scarf in her pony tail
A boy winks; there's a blush
A fifty-seven Chevy parks beneath the marquee lights
Chrome bumpers gleaming
From the mirror hangs fuzzy dice
The curtain about to go up; Big Bopper sets the pace
The dance floor fills to quota
Shake the walls, CHANTILLY LACE
Ritchie, we remember how you sang about your love
A slow dance to OH DONNA
Revolving stars above
LA-BAMBA steals a heartbeat, hot guitar strings intertwine
Notes on a scale that reach
Where chiming songbirds fly
Buddy, talent rolling, as you rocked the stage in two
The drums beat out the rhythm
And we danced to PEGGY SUE
TRUE LOVE WAYS; like you waved a magic wand
An orchestra of feelings
Your heart sang out the song
Buddy, Bopper, Ritchie, your memory lives through time
Your fans span generations
And your music blows our minds
We gather here in honor to that cold night in the sky
The Surf stands in legend to
The day the music died
Pam McKiness
|
|
|
|
