Bringing a Young Hip Energetic, Yet Traditional Feel From Track 1 to Track 18 , This Album Has Something For you! From club cumbias to Romantic Cumbias. From Tejano Rancheras to Norteno Rancheras . From Dance , Latin Pop All the Way to Bachata, R&B and More, El Tiempo Ha Llegado from 2012 Tejano Music Award Winner "Ricky Valenz " Promises to Deliever! RICKY VALENZ BIO: Do you believe in fate? Do you believe in destiny? Do you believe we are all here to carry out certain purposes? I want to tell you about someone who does. An artist who believes in living for today and who believes in achieving his own pursuit of happiness for him, his son, and the people he loves. He has no problem sacrificing moments of hardship for one exquisite moment of beauty. “That’s life...” he says. So he recites Muhammad Ali “suffer now, live the rest of life like a champion” or the other quote “pain is temporary Glory is forever.” He says “We all live now, for tomorrow is never promised. Love, Live and Love some more. Music is just one of our gifts.” It is an early Saturday morning on the south side of Lansing Michigan over at 3134 Avalon in a gray two story house that has red shutters with hearts in them. Breakfast is cooking, salsa music (Marc Anthony) is blasting from the stereo Valenz’s Puerto Rican mother has on. In another room there are sounds of live acoustic strumming coming from Valenz’s father playing his guitar. In the basement there are sounds of a current baseball game from Valenz’s older athletic brother (Robert T. Villarreal) and older cousins. All the way upstairs in the room that sits across from Valenz’s bedroom, are the sounds of George Michaels coming from the headphones of Valenz’s sister (Rachel M. Villarreal) and other girl cousins from Midland or whatever familia happened to be there that particular weekend. All of the sudden, you hear a loud pound and a yell up from the bottom of the stairs “U GUYS!! COME DOWN, BREAKFAST IS READY!!! HURRY UP BEFORE IT GETS COLD!!” In the room across the hall sits a curly head little boy and his cousin posing in front of the mirror with combs, reciting all the lines from the movie “LA BAMBA” and acting out all the parts. Of course Ricky was always “Ritchie Valens” from the movie, always singing all the songs as it played on his little television in his bedroom that was filled with Elvis posters and memorabilia. There also was also a stereo in his room. Next to it sat his collection music CD’s and tapes that consisted of Jodeci, R. Kelly, Boyz II Men, Aaron Hall, Brian McKnight, Bell Biv Devoe, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Marc Anthony, Jay Perez, 2 Pac, NWA, Easy E, Bone Thugs n Harmony etc, and a broad range of different music. As Valenz sits in front of the mirror belting notes and lyrics from Ritchie Valens’s songs playing on the screen “Oh Donna”. You hear another bang on the wall “RICKY Y OMAR GET YOUR LITTLE BUTTS DOWN HERE, FOOD IS READY…EVERYONE IS WAITING ON YOU GUYS”, the two hustle downstairs giggling in hopes of not upsetting Valenz’s mother for taking too long. This is all a vision of the early years of his upbringing with family and friends in the house that built the musical artist Ricky Valenz and what has attributed to his versatility with the ability to adapt or be a chameleon in music, relationships or any type of situation. This makes Valenz relatable to almost any person he comes in contact with. Now it’s 2011… as we sit here and listen to Ricky Valenz’s music, you can hear influences from Marc Anthony, Jay Perez, Jodeci, Boyz II Men, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, to Brian McKnight, all the way to Tupac Shakur and Diddy Combs. One of trademarks you will hear with Ricky Valenz, is an R&B/Soul/Hip Hop sound with a Latin flair to it. At the moment Valenz has reconnected with a high school friend, producer Michael “Sycko” Lopez and together they are finishing up his first cross-over Tejano, full Spanish speaking CD. Eventually, along with his music Ricky wants to transition into acting. At the moment Valenz is specifically working on his niche in the Latino market, along with his individual sound and his target market which will separate him from every other artist. His voice alone as a Mexican American vocalist sets him apart. Most people mistake him for being African American when first hearing him on the radio versus seeing him in person. Michael Lopez (Valenz’s Tejano Producer) says “Valenz has much soul in his voice and fans are able to trace his influences back in his sound which creates a very unique blend. Very excited to work and continue working with him.” Valenz comes from musical and very athletic families. His Father Roberto Villarreal was one of Michigan's top guitarists in the early 70’s, was a member of the Michigan super band “LATIN SOUNDS” which played a variety of music from Funk, Latin Funk to Tejano/Mexican music. Ricky Valenz’s biological mother Armilla Villarreal (Hernandez) was also a vocalist and sang as a lead singer in a Milwaukee band for over 15 years. In addition to the diverse influences of R&B, Soul, Funk, Tejano and Classic Light Rock from both bio-logical parents, Valenz’s step-mother Juanita Villarreal, is Puerto Rican, she also loved music, would love to sing, dance, play Salsa, Bachata and other Puerto Rican music, which has and will continue to be a big influence on Ricky Valenz, not just music, but the Puerto Rican culture as a whole. Taking you back, FATE came early on in the life story of Ricky Valenz. It came the very moment he was conceived. Back in the mid 70’s his parents gave birth to his older brother and sister and had decided to both get medically fixed to where they could no longer conceive. As mentioned earlier, FATE had stepped in for the first time, against all odds 8 years later, Ricky Valenz was born. The doctor and mother both called Valenz a “miracle baby” and both believed Valenz was here for a reason, against all odds. Valenz’s father Robert worked hard all his life for General Motors to provide for the family. His step-mother was a secretary for the local school district in Lansing Michigan. Valenz’s growing years were well balanced with exposure to different ethnic cultures. His parents had friends from diverse backgrounds. All were good, well rounded people. The Villarreal house was always filled with the aroma of home cooked Puerto Rican and Mexican food, music and good times. Valenz grew up on the south side of town, and had many older cousins, who looked out for him from early on and kept him on a focused path away from the influences of the streets all the way through his teen years. Along with the fear his mother “Juanita” instilled, which would eventually turn to respect, his two older cousins often looked out for Valenz and kept him in line, as well as his older brother and sister. He always thanks his parents for exposing him to people of all backgrounds and cultures and knows this is a big reason Valenz is a chameleon and can adapt to any environment. Valenz’s family was always heavily involved in the Tejano scene with influences from his uncles many cousins (some of which are featured on his latest project). Aside from music Valenz grew up playing and excelling in baseball, football and basketball. He would go all the way through high school prospering in baseball, starting on the varsity baseball team as a freshman and becoming a high school all star standout in Michigan and around the nation. During his high school years Ricky Valenz had even represented the United States in a baseball tournament overseas in Puerto Rico in which he would be awarded the MVP award. Coaches spoke of his classic leadership, sportsmanship and class-act through the journey. At the end of his high school career Valenz had offers to play baseball for various colleges, University of Miami, U MASS, University of St. Johns, Southern California, Butler, and many major universities across the United States. Ricky Valenz was even scouted and being looked at by 3 Major League teams out of high school. FATE stepped into Valenz’s life. He hung up his cleats, went into full time Christian Ministry at his local congregation and got married to a high school sweetheart. Being the couple was so young, unfortunately the marriage wouldn't last. But FATE didn't let up. The two were blessed with a baby boy. Earlier the same year before his son was born, Valenz was in a group called “GOODFELLAS” which consisted of four friends (Harvey Lee, Bobby ‘Nizzy’ Lane, Jason ‘J Holla” Hollawell and Ricky Valenz). With Valenz’s son six months in the womb, the R&B group would decide to take a trip to New York with manager Tarek ‘Terk’ Stephens. The group packed up a van, said their goodbyes and hit the highway. Within the first few days of their journey, the group knocked on office doors downtown NEW YORK and sung for Major Record Labels like JIVE RECORDS, BAD BOY ENT., etc. GoodFellas managed to audition and WALK ON the show of the famous Amateur Night at the Apollo in Harlem, all in the same day, which was said by the Apollo’s head manager that it was the first time in Apollo’s history anything like this was allowed or ever done. FATE. After many visits label visits, GoodFellas ended up in Manhattan in front of the building Def Jam record label was located in. As GoodFellas sat outside the doors of entrance warming up their vocals, the legendary hip hop mogul Jay Z walked out of the entrance. The Fellas sang for Jay Z on the spot. He gave the group a tip that if they waited another five to ten minutes, Russell Simmons himself would be exiting the same entrance and that they should be patient, to sing for him as well. Minutes later, as said by Jay Z, Simmons exited from the building. The GoodFellas sung Boyz II Men acapella for him on the spot. Simmons loved the guys so much that he scheduled an appointment to get them back the very next day to sing for the entire A&R family of Def Jam/Def soul. The Next day the Fellas made their way back to Manhattan to audition for Def Jam set up by Russell Simmons. In Def Jam’s office that overlooked the skyline of New York City, at the end of the audition performing their song acapella and further conversations, the entire A&R family sat in front of the group and made the statement to the group of young brothers: “Well... We enjoyed your performance, we are going to clear out appointments from noon on tomorrow, bring your attorney with you, we will have all the paper work ready... welcome to the Def Jam family Fellas! Congratulations!” Little did the Fellas know the next day would go down in history as one of the most tragic days in not only the GoodFellas life, but the entire nation’s history archive. FATE. Ricky Valenz and the Fellas left the building that day ecstatic with emotion. Later that night the Fellas all stood side by side with their manager near the water that over looked the entire New York skyline, with arms around each other toasting drinks in the air, saying “We made it, we made it!!” and singing their songs acapella into the night sky. That same night the Fellas went back to the studio in Brooklyn with star producer Al West, to write and record a song on the spot titled “It’s alright”. (Remind you) the next day at 12 o’clock sharp, the Fellas had an appointment to sign their major record deal contract with Def Jam in Manhattan to make each of their own and all of their family back home dreams come true. As the sun went down and the night passed with the moon light, chaos and fate was sure to follow. The next morning at 9am the Twin Towers in Manhattan tragically went down from terrorist attacks along with the shattered hopes and dreams of The GoodFellas. One of the worst tragedies in the Nation’s history on Sept. 11th is also tied to Ricky Valenz and the GoodFellas. That day hopes would be postponed for years to come. FATE. Valenz would return to Lansing Michigan with nothing to show, jobless and with a baby two months away from being born. Ricky Valenz would then postpone any moves for his music career across the country to New York, Texas or California for nine years to fulfill his role as a father. In the years to come, FATE would continue to reveal itself in and out of the Valenz path. Valenz began to focus on other career opportunities that would eventually lead to working in the Executive office of the Governor of Michigan which would further sharpen his political and social knowledge, professionalism, outlook on business, relationships and networking. In the midst of those years Valenz still made attempts, but never fully engaged into his music career. In the midst of those years Valenz opened up for star rapper 50 Cent in Miami on the ‘Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ tour, he also opened up for Yuk-mouth in Arizona and Pretty Ricky at Lansing Michigan’s annual Common Ground festival. Ricky Valenz even traveled to different states auditioning for American Idol, making it to the top 100 out 30,000 contestants. Ricky Valenz always knew what it would take to make it happen again for his career, which would be what he once did with his group back when they traveled to New York. He knew one day soon he would need to network, build his brand, find his niche, reconnect and make new connections and travel out of Lansing, Michigan. Through the years Valenz just couldn’t find it in him to move away completely from his infant son. Well recently FATE would again step in. Valenz had his son full time as a single father for the past few years. FATE will align the opportunity to take his son anywhere with him. Soon in the near future, as his bio continues to tell his story, Valenz and his son Ricky II will take on their very own “Pursuit of Happiness, Pursuit of Fate, Pursuit of Greatness”. In his early years Valenz grew up watching and idolizing the original “Ritchie Valens” of the movie La Bamba that was based off a true iconic story. Ritchie Valens was a Mexican American artist that moved to California to try and break into the Rock n Roll scene when there was no other Mexican artist playing the music that he was playing. Well Ricky Valenz is preparing to make his move to San Antonio, Texas. Like Ritchie Valens, Ricky Valenz is a Mexican-American artist, but the difference is Valenz won’t be trying to break into Rock n Roll, he will be breaking into the Tejano Scene along with R&B//Hip Hop where there is no artist of his nature, that has his sound, look, voice, personality or swagg. Valenz is one of a kind of his time. All the way back to when he was in the mirror putting on concerts all by himself or with cousins, Valenz had dreams of having a movie made about his life back when he was a young boy, and dreams of selling out arenas such as Madison Square Garden just as one of his idols Marc Anthony or the great Selena who sold out the Houston Astrodome. There is no telling what the future will bring for Valenz and his son, but we know the Valenz journey is only beginning, and fate will once again reveal itself into his life. Some people live with limitations. Valenz believes there is no limit. There is no timeframe, only life. There is only what we want to do, and how we want to live today. He says “The only person that has to be satisfied with the movie about yourself when the credits are playing is YOURSELF... so live your life how you want to live it and fulfill yourself and God”. This is Ricky Valenz’s story of his pursuit of happiness, his pursuit of greatness. This is where life is taking him. Making dreams reality. Believe. So Can I.