The late teen rocker Ritchie Valens, whose life was portrayed by actor Lou Diamond Phillips in the movie ``La Bamba,'' has been honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Valens star, the 1,913th dedicated along the celebrated walkway, was the first given to a Hispanic rock 'n' roll star. ``Ritchie left a legacy of love,'' said Phillips, who joined members of Valens' family and about 400 fans at Friday's unveiling on Hollywood Boulevard. Valens became a 1950s sensation with the hits ``La Bamba'' and ``Donna,'' but died in a 1959 plane crash with rockers Buddy Holly and J.P. ``The Big Bopper'' Richardson. ``Today, we lift a star higher into the heavens _ a star who represents few of the known Hispanics in our community,'' said actor Esai Morales, who was also in ``La Bamba.'' Valens grew up as Richard Valenzuela in the San Fernando Valley community of Pacoima, 15 miles north of downtown Los Angeles.
