The accident took place on the same day that a plane carrying Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa, killing all three singers.
Ritchie Valens (Richard Steven Valenzuela, 1941–1959), rock and roll singer
Guy Ritchie | Jean Ritchie | Valens | Ritchie Valens | Ritchie Blackmore | Brian Ritchie | Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow | Matthew Ritchie | Vettius Valens | Meg Ritchie | William Johnstone Ritchie | Thomas Ritchie | Ritchie Robertson | Ritchie Coster | Reece Ritchie | Neil Ritchie | Major Ritchie | Jon Ritchie | John Ritchie Findlay | David "Tarzan" Ritchie | Charles Ritchie Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen | Charles Ritchie, 1st Baron Ritchie of Dundee | Steve Ritchie | Sir John Ritchie Findlay | Sharon Ritchie | Ritchie Thomas | Ritchie Hanlon | Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers | Ritchie Branagan | Ritchie Bayly |
All songs written by Huntingtons, except track 19 by The Ronettes, tracks 21-35, 53, 59 & 61 by Ramones, track 49 by Ritchie Valens, track 56 by The Queers, track 57 by Poison, track 62 by Mötley Crüe and track 63 by Twisted Sister.
Montez grew up in Hawthorne, California, influenced by the Latino-flavored music of his community and the success of Ritchie Valens.
It was also covered by Howard Huntsberry for the 1987 biographical movie about Ritchie Valens, La Bamba, and Huey Lewis's performance of the song in the 2000 karaoke-themed film Duets was also released as part of the film's soundtrack.
After Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash in February 1959, a then-teenaged Vee was one of a group of local musicians recruited to play at the next leg of a scheduled concert in Fargo, North Dakota.
The town of Clear Lake is known as the place the Big Bopper, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens took off from on the day they died; their last performance was at the Surf Ballroom.
He has appeared on screen in several movies, including La Bamba starring Lou Diamond Phillips as '50s rock star Ritchie Valens.
The Surf is closely associated with the event known colloquially as "The Day the Music Died" - early rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson gave their last performances at the Surf on February 2, 1959 as part of the "Winter Dance Party Tour".