Editing Ritchie Valens (section)

==Early life==
Valens was born as Richard Steven Valenzuela on May 13, 1941, in [[Pacoima, Los Angeles|Pacoima]],<ref name="Britannica"/> a neighborhood in the [[San Fernando Valley]] region of [[Los Angeles]]. The son of Joseph Steven Valenzuela (1896–1952) and Concepción "Concha" Reyes (1915–1987), he had two half-brothers, Robert "Bob" Morales (1937–2018) and Mario Ramirez, and two younger sisters, Connie and Irma.

Valenzuela was brought up hearing traditional Mexican [[mariachi]] music, as well as [[flamenco]] guitar,<ref name=":4">{{cite web |last1=City News Service |title=LA declares Ritchie Valens Day on 75th anniversary of his birth |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2016/05/13/la-declares-ritchie-valens-day-on-75th-anniversary-of-his-birth/ |website=Los Angeles Daily News (LDN) |date=13 May 2016 |access-date=25 November 2018}}</ref> [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]], and [[jump blues]]. He expressed an interest in making music of his own by the age of five. Valenzuela was encouraged by his father to take up guitar and trumpet, and later taught himself the drums. Though Valenzuela was left-handed, he was so eager to learn the guitar that he mastered the traditional right-handed version of the instrument.

Valenzuela was a 15-year-old student at Pacoima Junior High School at the time of the [[1957 Pacoima mid-air collision]]. He was not at school that day since he was attending his grandfather's funeral.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-28-me-then28-story.html?_amp=true|first=Cecilia|last=Rasmussen|title=The day fiery disaster fell from the sky|website= [[Los Angeles Times]]|date=January 28, 2007|access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/02/19/childhood-pal-recalls-ritchie-valens-as-sweet-tough-from-murrieta-home/ |author= Allen, David |title=Childhood pal recalls Ritchie Valens as 'sweet,' 'tough' from California home|date=February 19, 2021|access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref> Recurring nightmares of the disaster led to Valens's [[fear of flying]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-12-29-me-1334-story.html |author= Kahler, Karl |title=On Pacoima Playground With Ritchie Valens : Grief Moves Him to Save Lives|website= [[Los Angeles Times]] |quote=One student developed an intense fear of flying after the accident--Ricardo Valenzuela, who later adopted the name Ritchie Valens.|date=Dec 29, 1988|access-date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>

By the time Valenzuela was attending Pacoima Junior High School (now [[Pacoima Middle School]]), he would bring his guitar to school and sing and play songs to his friends on the bleachers.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Oracle of Del-Fi|author=Bob Keane|author-link=Bob Keane|publisher=Del-Fi International Books|date=October 6, 2006|isbn=978-0976810513}}</ref>

When Valenzuela was 16 years old, he was invited to join a local band, The Silhouettes (not to be confused with [[The Silhouettes|the group of the same name]] famous for its hit song [[Get a Job (song)|"Get a Job"]]). Valenzuela began as a guitarist, and when the main vocalist left the group, he took over the position. On June 19, 1957, Valenzuela made his performing debut with The Silhouettes.

Valenzuela also attended [[San Fernando High School]].<ref>{{cite web|title=San Fernando High School Alums {{!}} i am san fernando|url=http://iamsanfernando.com/san-fernando-alumni|website=iamsanfernando.com|access-date=7 February 2018}}</ref>