Connie Valens: Remembering Her Bro Ritchie Valens | Three Stars Tribute | Woods Pet of the Week | Up+Adam

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking Connie Valens joins Adam Montiel for a deeply personal conversation about her brother, Ritchie Valens, and the life behind one of rock and roll’s most enduring legends. Connie talks about the Ritchie the world never got to know, the brother she remembers as her caregiver and her heart, and what it has meant to spend a lifetime sharing someone she loved so privately with millions of fans. She opens up about the family’s grief after Ritchie’s death, how the making of La Bamba forced them to revisit memories they had buried for years, and why she describes that period as “finding him again.” She also shares what it was like to see Ritchie honored in bronze at the Surf Ballroom, hear his music carried forward by new voices, and experience her brother Mario as part of that continuing musical legacy. The conversation also looks at Three Stars Tribute, the new Legacy Collection honoring Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and The Big Bopper. Led by Pat Boone, the project features 31 all-new recordings and performances from artists including Los Lobos, Frankie Avalon, Sha Na Na, Chris Montez, Marshall Crenshaw, Mario R. Valens, and more. The collection is available in a deluxe 2-LP 180-gram vinyl edition and a 2-CD set, with additional historical material including On A Cold Road to Clear Lake by Corey Long and a foreword from Connie, Irma, and Mario R. Valens. At its heart, this episode is about more than music history. It is about memory, family, grief, and the strange, beautiful way music can keep someone present long after they are gone. • Learn more about Three Stars Tribute: Gold Label Artists • Explore the 2-CD Legacy Collection: MVD Shop ******** *PORTABIDET: UP+ADAM IS AN OFFICIAL AFFILIATE FOR PORTABIDET - USE THIS LINK FOR UP+ADAM LISTENERS TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOURS! Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:Official Website: adammontiel.com Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music ******** CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK! ******** ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE! ******** FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM ********* Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them! Life Elements City of SLO WoodsHumaneSociety Tin City Distillery Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective Moonshiner on Spotify HERE Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com ©2026 Up+Adam with Adam Montiel / LoBro Studios, All Rights Reserved.