Richie Valens
May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959
A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens' recording career lasted only eight months.
Died in the same plane crash as Buddy Holly.
Buddy Holly
September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959
An American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll. Although his success lasted only a year and a half before his death in an airplane crash.
Johnny Ace
June 9, 1929 – December 25, 1954
After his term in the Navy, he joined Adolph Duncan's Band as a pianist. He then joined the B. B. King band.
Soon after that, B. B. King took off from Las Angeles and joined the Army. So, Johnny took over vocal duties and renamed the band The Beale Streeters.
It was widely reported that Ace killed himself playing Russian roulette. Big Mama Thornton's bass player Curtis Tillman, however, who witnessed the event, said, "I will tell you exactly what happened! Johnny Ace had been drinking and he had this little pistol he was waving around the table and someone said ‘Be careful with that thing…’ and he said ‘It’s okay! Gun’s not loaded…see?’ and pointed it at himself with a smile on his face and ‘Bang!’ – sad, sad thing. Big Mama ran outta that dressing room yelling ‘Johnny Ace just killed hisself!"
