Simplify the following text for a Grade 6 native English-speaking person.
Original: Ritchie Valens ( born Ricardo Esteban Valenzuela Reyes ; May 13 , 1941 -- February 3 , 1959 ) was a Mexican-American singer , songwriter and guitarist .
Simplified: Ritchie Valens was born May 13 , 1941 . He was a Mexican-American singer and songwriter .