Ritchie Valens Lives On in Hearts of Fans as His Star Is Set on Walk of Fame

To Connie Alvarez, there is no such thing as “The Day the Music Died.” Her brother, Chicano rock ‘n’ roll legend Ritchie Valens, is still alive.

“I could go on and on about the day he died,” Alvarez said in an emotionally charged voice, “because I’ve even been to the snow-filled cornfield in Iowa (where he died in a plane crash). But this day is for the living. Ritchie is alive in the hearts and minds of all his fans.”

It was that spirit for life--not death--that dominated a nostalgic tribute to Valens, whose hit “Donna” rocketed him to stardom in 1958, as 200 fans gathered on Hollywood Boulevard last month to see him honored with the 1,913th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Valens, whose real name was Richard Valenzuela, is considered to be the first Chicano to make it big in rock music. In a span of less than 18 months in 1958 and ‘59, his songs “Donna,” “Come On, Let’s Go,” “That’s My Little Susie” and his rollicking version of “La Bamba,” the traditional Mexican folk song, made him a star.

He was on tour with singer Buddy Holly and Texas disc jockey J. P. (The Big Bopper) Richardson when their small plane crashed in a frozen Iowa cornfield on Feb. 3, 1959, killing them. Valens was only 17 years old.

The 1972 song, “American Pie,” etched their deaths into popular music mythology by repeatedly referring to the tragedy as “the day the music died.”

But to those attending the Walk of Fame ceremony, the guitar-strumming teen-ager from Pacoima was still very much with them.

“He may be dead, but he’s still alive to me,” said 46-year-old Rudy Ortega of Norwalk. “I can sing the words to all his songs.”

Since his death 31 years ago, the legend of Valens and his love for his girlfriend, Donna, have grown.

Eddie Velez drove all night from Salt Lake City to get a glimpse of Donna Ludwig-Coots at the ceremony--as promised by the event’s organizers. Although she failed to show, he wasn’t disappointed.

“Ritchie knew her,” he said. “I know her through the words. I guess that’s good enough.”

While the demand for Valens’ records has grown, his fans and relatives have been clamoring for greater recognition of his accomplishments. They began a drive to get Valens a star on the Walk of Fame as the ultimate recognition of his success.

Gil Rocha, leader of a rock group that Valens joined before going solo, said the singer was a pioneering influence on the many Latino musicians who came after him. And he was also a role model, Rocha said.

“Ritchie Valens was pure,” Rocha said. “He didn’t do drugs. He did not abuse alcohol or smoke.”

Friends formed the Ritchie Valens Recognition Committee and raised the $3,500 for installation of the star on Hollywood Boulevard.

The ceremony was laced with cheers and shouts at the mere mention of links to Valens’ past--San Fernando, Pacoima or even the word “Chicano.”

Latino singers who came after Valens appreciate his pioneering contributions.

Chicano singer Chris Montez, whose hits of the 1960s included “Call Me,” “Let’s Dance” and “Because of You,” drew the loudest cheer at the Walk of Fame ceremony when he picked Connie Alvarez’s theme and shouted at the crowd:

“ Que Viva Ritchie Valens! “