What Happened to Richie Valens’ Family? Ritchie Valens’ mother died in 1987. His siblings, including one older brother, two younger sisters and a younger brother, were living in California and Nevada. After Valens’ death, the family stayed out of the public eye, though they did work closely with producers of “La Bamba.”

However as the heirs of Richie’s estate, his mother should have controlled the rights in Richie’s music. Bob Keane claimed that under the contract that Ritchie signed he retained the vast majority of the music rights.

Her son, born Ricardo Valenzuela, grew up in Central California farm camps and worked as a laborer in the orchards of Campbell. In the mid-1950s, the family moved to the Los Angeles suburb of Pacoima, where the teen-ager attended high school and began playing in a rock band. As his career took off, he changed his name to Ritchie Valens.

In the mid-1950s, the family moved to the Los Angeles suburb of Pacoima, where the teen-ager attended high school and began playing in a rock band. As his career took off, he changed his name to Ritchie Valens. Valens’ hit records included ′′Come On, Let’s Go,′′ ′′Donna,′′ and a rock version of a traditional Mexican folk song, ′′La Bamba.′′

How did Ritchie Valens’ mother die?

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (AP) _ Connie Valenzuela, the mother of the late rock singer Ritchie Valens, has died of an apparent heart attack. She was 72.

Valens’ hit records included ″Come On, Let’s Go ,″ ″Donna,″ and a rock version of a traditional Mexican folk song, ″La Bamba.″

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