His Guitars and Music. Par VALENS RITCHIE. Ritchie Valens was the first nationally recognized Latino rock 'n' roll star. He had a meteoric rise to fame in a career that lasted barely eight months, before his tragic death along with Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and pilot Roger Peterson, in a plane crash north of Clear Lake, Iowa. Ritchie's unique guitar style and high-energy performances made him a …