Comments: 12

• David Bragg from Kennewick WashingtonI was married to a Donna who died!!
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1959 {February 23rd} "Donna" by Ritchie Valens peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} on Billboard's Top 100 chart, for the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "Stagger Lee" by Lloyd Price...
  Prior to reaching #2, "Donna" spent four consecutive weeks at #3 on the Top 100...
  In May of 1959 "Donna" peaked at #4 {for 1 week} on the Australian Kent Music Report chart...
  Ritchie Valens had four other Top 100 records, "Come On, Let's Go" {#42 in 1958}, "La Bamba" {#22 in 1959}, "That's My Little Suzie" {#55 in 1959}, and "Little Girl" {#92 in 1959}...
  Ritchie Valens, born Richard Steven Valenzuela, passed away at the young age of 17 in 1959 on February 3rd {The Day The Music Died}...
  May he R.I.P.
  And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of Billboard's Top 10 on February 23rd, 1959:
  At #3. "16 Candles" by The Crests
  #4. "The All American Boy" by Bill Parsons (Bobby Bare)
  #5. "Charlie Brown" by The Coasters
  #6. "I Cried A Tear" by LaVern Baker
  #7. "Tall Paul" by Annette and the Afterbeats
  #8. "Petite Fleur (Little Flower)" by Chris Barber’s Jazz Band
  #9. "Lonely Teardrops" by Jackie Wilson
  #10. "Peter Gunn" by Ray Anthony
• Secoya from Mesa, AzI love this song I watched the movie La Bamba and it was so sad.... and Donna was my favorite song out of the whole movie... Donna the song is so sweet
• Alma from Laredo, TxTo Chet, Los Lobos paid great tribute to Ritchie Valens.
• Alma from Laredo, TxLos Lobos honored the late great Richie Valens. They shared some of the same poor upbringing. I believe the did a great justice to his legacy. Richie Valens would be proud.
• B. from Rochester, NyThe sound alike version of "Donna" heard in the Visa commercial was sung by ex-TNT lead singer Tony Harnell.
• Angela from Fort Benning, GaI wasn't alive when Ritchie Valens was popular, but my Momma used to listen to Ritchies music all the time. I loved it & the first time I heard the song "Donna" The way he sings it just melts my heart. He's the greatest! Not to mention he was a hunk.
• Valerie from Eureka, CaI was 10 yrs old when Ritchie Valens (Valenzuela) died. I lived in Jacksonville, FLA. I remember the oldest daughter of the family I lived with crying all day and playing Buddy Holly's records over and over. The radio station she was listening to kept a marathon of Holly's and Valens' music going all day. I recall walking outside and decided then and there I would never forget that it was an overcast day in Jacksonville and that I would NEVER get on an airplane. A year later I was boarding a plane to fly to New York with my own family. Walking to the plane, I could only think of the plane crash that took the lives of Holly, Valens and Richardson. Because of that incident, I have always been in fear of flying. I have flown across country 3 times since...terrified each time. Funny how some things leave lasting impressions on us, isn't it?
• Bob from Roseville, CoDonna is a real estate agent for Centry 21 in Fair Oaks Ca.
• Steve from Salt Lake City, UtJust think how much more $$$ "Donna" & "La Bamba" would have made had they been released separatly instead of as both sides of a single!
• Mike from Anytown, CaOriginally written as "Oh Don!" in dedication to Donald Pollock, radio broadcasters shunned do to its possible politically incorrect message, and the single and refused to give it air time. Captain Jett, Auburn, CA
• Chet from Saratoga Springs, NyI refuse to listen to the version by Los Lobos on my LP on the La Bamba soudtrack out of respect for the late, great, underrated muscian Richard Valenzuela....

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