Ritchie Valens consists of Ricardo Valenzuela.
Richard Steven Valenzuela ( May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), better known as Ritchie Valens, was a pioneer of rock and roll and, as a Mexican-American born in Los Angeles, California, became the first Mexican– American rock and roll star.
The professional career of Ritchie Valens lasted barely eight months, but in that time he managed to record some of the greatest and most influential songs of the 1950s. While attending Pacoima Jr. High School he was first noticed by his classmates and soon gave almost daily concerts during the lunch break. In May 1958, Bob Keane, the owner and President of Del-Fi Records, a small Hollywood record label, was given a tip about a young performer from Pacoima by the name of Richard Valenzuela. Valenzuela, then aged sixteen, was already making waves in a local band named The Silhouettes.
As well as performing with his band, Ritchie (the added "t" and the shortening of his surname to "Valens" were Keane's idea; there had never been a Latino rock and roll artist before, and Keane was worried that the name might put off prospective listeners) also played solo at parties and other social events. A completely self-taught musician, Ritchie was an accomplished singer and guitarist. At his appearances he would begin playing and singing a popular song, and make up new lyrics and riffs on the spot. This is an aspect of Ritchie's music that is not really heard in his commercial studio recordings. Due to his high-energy performances, Ritchie had gained the nickname "The Little Richard of the [San Fernando] Valley".
Keane, swayed by the Little Richard connection, went along to see Ritchie play a Saturday morning matinee at a movie theater in San Fernando. Impressed by this performance, he invited Valens to audition at his home in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles, where he had a small recording studio located in the basement. The recording equipment comprised an early portable tape recorder – a two-track Ampex 6012 – and a pair of Telefunken U-87 condenser microphones.