A Lil' Libros Bilingual Biography Introduce little ones to the life of legendary Ritchie Valens in both English and Spanish! Born May 13, 1941, Richard Steven Valenzuela, better known as Ritchie Valens, was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His musical journey began in Pacoima, California, at age 5, when his father encouraged him to take up guitar. In high school, he made his performing debut with his band, the Silhouettes.At age 17, Ritchie recorded his final record, which included the songs "Donna" and "La Bamba." That record went on to sell over one million copies. To this day, Ritchie's music continues to live in the hearts of many!