| DONNA | 1958 hit for Ritchie Valens |
| LABAMBA | Hit for Ritchie Valens |
| BAMBA | "La ___" (1958 Ritchie Valens hit) |
| TURKISH | Ritchie Valens "In a ___ Town" |
| LOUDIAMOND | American actor who played Ritchie Valens in the 1987 film La Bamba (3,7,8) |
| PHILLIPS | American actor who played Ritchie Valens in the 1987 film La Bamba (3,7,8) |
| BOPPER | The Big ---, American musician who died in a 1959 plane crash along with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens (6) |
| BIGBOPPER | The _ _, American musician who died alongside Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens in a 1959 plane crash (3,6) |
| HARDHEADEDWOMAN | 1958 hit for Elvis |
| DEDE | "___ Dinah" (1958 hit for Frankie Avalon) |
| YAKETYYAK | 1958 hit for the Coasters (6,3) |
| CHANTILLY | 1958 hit for The Big Bopper: "___ Lace" |
| SOUL | "Ooh! My ___" (1958 hit for Little Richard) |
| OHBOY | 1958 hit for Buddy Holly and the Crickets (2,3) |
| RAVEON | Song written by Sonny West, Bill Tilghman and Norman Petty that was a 1958 hit for Buddy Holly |
| HOP | At the ___, 1958 hit for Danny and the Juniors (3) |
| DREAM | All I Have to Do Is ___, 1958 hit for the Everly Brothers (5) |
| RITCHIE | Singer Valens crosses over it, chief (7) |
| IHADA | "_ ___ _ girl, Donna..." (Valens lyric, three words) |
| LOSLOBOS | American band who had a 1987 UK Number One with a cover of Richie Valens' La Bamba (3,5) |
