Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens (Lou Diamond Phillips) becomes an overnight rock 'n' roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called Donna that he wrote for his girlfriend (Danielle von Zerneck), whose parents didn't want her to date a Latino boy. But as his star rises, Valens has conflicts with his jealous brother Bob (Esai Morales) and becomes haunted by a recurring nightmare of a plane crash, just as he begins his first national tour alongside Buddy Holly (Marshall Crenshaw).

Photo credit: Columbia Pictures