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Concepcion Valenzuela was an actress and the mother of the late guitarist, singer, and songwriter Richard Steven Valenzuela, known professionally as Ritchie Valens. Concepcion’s son Ritchie Valens was a rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement. He made several hits, most notably “La Bamba” and “Donna”. Unfortunately, death interrupted his promising career after he was killed in a plane crash. He was eight months into his music career. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 2001.

Concepcion Valenzuela: Bio Summary

Concepcion Valenzuela was born on the 6th of October 1915, in Cottonwood, Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. Her parents are Francisco Lopez Reyes and Maria Refugia Lopez Reyes. She was the wife of Joseph Steven Valenzuela (1896–1952).

Concepcion Valenzuela got married to Joseph Steven Valenzuela on 15 September 1939 in Los Angeles County, California. They reportedly got separated. She also got married to Robert Morales in 1952. Concepcion Valenzuela is the mother of five children.

Roberto “Bob” Morales, Ritchie Valens, Connie Lemos, Irma Norton, and Mario Ramirez are the names of Concepcion Valenzuela’s children. Bob Morales died on 15 September 2018, in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, California, US, at age 81. He died of Prostate Cancer.

Also Read: Connie Lemos: Facts About Ritchie Valens’ sister

Much is unknown about her children but her son Ritchie Valens who was born Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, Los Angeles, California, U.S. became a popular guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was raised listening to traditional Mexican mariachi music, flamenco guitar, R&B, and jump blues.

By age five Ritchie Valens had an interest in making his own music. His father encouraged him to take up guitar and trumpet and later taught himself the drums. He was left-handed and eager to learn the guitar so he mastered the traditionally right-handed version of the instrument.

At age 15, Ritchie Valens was a student at Pacoima Junior High School, now Pacoima Middle School. He later attended San Fernando High School. At school, he played guitar and sang songs to his friends. At age 16, he got an invitation to be part of a local band, The Silhouettes, where he was a guitarist, and later the main vocalist.

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Ritchie Valens made his performing debut with The Silhouettes on October 19, 1957. He often improvised new lyrics and added new riffs to popular songs while he was playing. The demands of his career forced him to drop out of high school. He is known for Come On, Let’s Go, Donna, and La Bamba. He has been the subject of several biopic films.

Most recently in May 2022, the United States Post Office in Pacoima, California named the post office in honor of Ritchie Valens. He was in a relationship with his high school sweetheart, Donna Ludwig from 1957 until his death.

Where Is Concepcion Valenzuela Now?

Concepcion Valenzuela is not alive as of 2022. She died on 18 October 1987, in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, California, USA. She was 72 years old when she died. She was buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, Los Angeles County, California.

Concepcion’s ex-husband Joseph Steven Valenzuela died on 8 January 1952, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA, at age 55. Concepcion’s son Ritchie Valens died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, in Clear Lake, Iowa, U.S. He was 17 years old when he died.

Ritchie Valens died in the crash alongside fellow musicians Buddy Holly and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, and pilot Roger Peterson. Their tragic death is known as “The Day the Music Died“. The reason why the plane crashed is still unknown.

Ritchie Valens suffered massive and unsurvivable head injuries along with blunt-force trauma to the chest. His remains were buried at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California. He and his mother Concepcion Valenzuela were buried by each other.

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