Ritchie Valens is known as the first Latino rocker in the history of rock n' roll (Mendhiem). Before Ritchie there were no famous Latinos in the music industry. There were Latinos singing other genres of music, but none came close to what Ritchie left behind. During the 50's only whites and blacks played rock n' roll, Latinos played Cuban Mambo, Chachacha, Charanga and stuff like that. Ritchie Valens didn't care what others thought of him, he just played the music he loved and died for, Rock N' Roll. He had a dream and he made it happen. He was considered "the next Elvis" in the San Fransisco Chronicle. It's amazing how he reached the title of "the next Elvis in a career that only lasted eight short months. |  Ritchie Valens inspired many other Latinos to play rock n' roll such as Sam the Sham, the Pharaohs, Santana, Los Lobos,Los Lonely boys any many more. After 42 years of debate Ritchie Valens was inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame in the 2001 class.In 1987 director Luis Valdez created a fantastic film on the life of Ritchie Valens, called "La Bamba" featuring Lou Diamond Phillips as Ritchie Valens and Esai Morales as Ritchie's half-brother "Bob". This movie is a really good film that depicts who Ritchie Valens was and what he left behind.If Ritchie Valens would have been around for a longer peiod of time he would have been one of the greatest rockers of all time. He created his own style of music that was different from everyone else's and the people loved it. He had various top chart hits in short eight months . He was the first Chicano rocker that was really succesful in the 1950's. he has inspired many Latinos to go out, and play . Ritchie Valens is the pioneer of Chicano Rock N' Roll |
