Final answer:
Ritchie Valens was an American rock 'n' roll musician originally named Ricardo Valenzuela; his name was anglicized to appeal to a wider audience and to align with the marketing strategies of his era.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to Ritchie Valens, born Ricardo Valenzuela, who was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Valens became a rock 'n' roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement. However, in an era when ethnic diversity faced significant challenges in mainstream America, his professional name was anglicized to make him more appealing and marketable to a broad audience. The change from Ricardo Valenzuela to Ritchie Valens was a strategic decision by his managers to enhance his universal appeal and attractiveness. This decision exemplifies the common practice of altering ethnic names to fit the social norms and marketing strategies of the time.