Through Slavery, Segregation And More, 'La Bamba' Has Been The Sound Of Survival
Sixty years ago, a Mexican folk tune sung entirely in Spanish became a rock and roll phenomenon. Generations after Ritchie Valens, young Latinos are still harnessing its power.
This story is part of American Anthem, a yearlong series on songs that rouse, unite, celebrate and call to action. Find more at NPR.org/Anthem.
Sixty years ago this month, a 17-year-old Mexican-American kid in California released a single that quickly climbed to the Top 40.
In 1987, an East Los Angeles rock band added their own spin, which became the first song in Spanish to hit No. 1 in the United States.
And just last fall, that same song found a new meaning on the streets of Shelbyville, Tenn., about an hour south of Nashville, as counterprotesters faced down a group of neo-Nazis and white supremacists.
It had been two months since the Charlottesville "Unite The Right" rally, where Heather Heyer was killed
