ROCKIN' ROLE MODEL PACOIMA PARTY PAYS TRIBUTE TO VALENS.

Byline: Dominic Berbeo Staff Writer

PACOIMA - More than 300 fans turned out at a music festival Sunday to honor Ritchie Valens, the late musical icon who grew up in this working-class neighborhood and was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

It was an emotional celebration, with acquaintances and members of Valens' family present to pay homage to the man who made songs like ``Donna'' and ``La Bamba'' famous around the world.

Valens' tragic death in a plane crash on Feb. 3, 1959, came when the musician was 17 and quickly becoming a star.

``When he made it into the Hall of Fame it was a spiritual and healing experience for me,'' said Valens' motorcycle-driving older brother, Bob Morales, who was made famous in the 1987 movie ``La Bamba'' by Chicano playwright Luis Valdez.

``To me, he was just my brother and I was always looking out for him,'' said Morales, who donned a black leather biker outfit with metal spikes. ``But I don't know if I realized how great his music was back then. I'm proud of him with all my heart.''

Bob Keane, of the Del-Fi record label, signed Valens in 1958 and recalled seeing him for the first time.

``They told me about this kid that people were calling the 'Little Richard' of San Fernando and I had to see him,'' said Keane. ``I saw him at some school concert and he was just singing with all his heart and the girls were going wild.''

Valens was 16 years old, and Keane, then 35, said they were like a father and son traveling together on tours.

``Ritchie's music lives on because he had a message,'' Keane said. ``That message must have been important because 40 years later, everyone is still in love with this man.''

Congressman Howard Berman, D-Mission Hills, has lobbied for the past three years to have Valens inducted into the Hall of Fame.

``He's a tremendous source of pride for this community,'' Berman said. ``He overcame so many obstacles and influences more than one generation, even at that early age.''

The music festival is held annually at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center in Pacoima, which was dedicated in 1994 at the urging of state Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys, who was then a Los Angeles City Council member.

For the past six years, the Ritchie Valens Memorial Fan Club has worked to raise funds and lobby for Valens' entry into the Hall of Fame.

``Ritchie Valens represented good things to many people in this community,'' Alarcon said. ``He represented hard work, becoming successful, taking care of your family. He was a bridge from the Mexican culture into the rock 'n' roll scene.''

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) Glen Glenn performs Sunday in a musical tribute to rock 'n' roll pioneer Ritchie Valens in Valens' hometown of Pacoima.

(2) Bob Morales, brother of the late Ritchie Valens, hugs his granddaughter Michelle at a celebration of Valens' music at the Pacoima park that bears his name.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer