In Rock and Roll lore, February 3, 1959, is known as “The Day the Music Died.” On that day, a small airplane carrying Buddy Holly, J.P. Richardson, better known as the “Big Bopper,” and Richie Valens of “La Bamba” fame crashed, killing all three of the men as well as the pilot.
Among the people who took the news hard was a teenager in Billings, Montana, named Chan Romero. Romero and Valens had some important things in common: They were both seventeen years old and they shared a Latino heritage.
This, in addition to Romero’s musical talent, caused many people to view Romero as Valens’ successor. It didn’t turn out that way, but as Romero would tell you, his life turned out very well, indeed.
Shortly after Valens’ death, a recording of Romero’s music made it into the hands of Valens’ manager, Bob Keane. Keane liked what he heard and saw, and invited Romero to move out to Los Angeles where he signed him onto Valens’ old label.
