Daniel was born in Parrál, Chihuáhua, Mexico on January 3, 1979. He is a second generation mariachi musician who followed in his father's footsteps to become a professional mariachi trumpet player. He first began playing the saxophone at the age of 9,then later started playing the trumpet at the age of 16, studying privately uner the direction of his father, Juan Villa Olivas. Since 1996, Daniel has been playing professionally. He has played with various mariachi groups, including Mariachi Lucero, Mariachi Santa Barbara, Mariachi Palmeros, Mariachi Nuevo Mexico, Mariachi Tepeyac, Mariachi Centenario and has now been a member of Mariachi Tenampa since 2001. Within the short time he has been playing professionally, he has risen fast in the local mariachi circuit and has earned recognition and respect by fellow mariachis as one of the state's best trumpet players. Daniel realizes the importance of teaching mariachi music to our younger generation. He is currently an assistant instructor for the mariachi programs at East San Jose Elementary School, Washington Middle School, Albuquerque High School and has been an instructor for four consecutive years at Albuquerque's own Mariachi Spectacular conference workshops. As a full time student at the University of New Mexico, he is currently majoring in bilingual Education and is also part of the University's mariachi program as a member of Mariachi Lobo, also directed by Alfredo Gurule. Daniel was invited to join Mariachi Tenampa in August of 2001 because of his great ability to learn rapidly and correctly. To Daniel, music is more than just playing the proper notes, it is about feeling the music and expressing every note played from within, which he does quite well. As a professional mariachi musician, Daniel has performed in concert with some of the best mariachi groups in the world and has also accompanied many well known artists on stage, including Pablo Montero, Sparx, Lorenzo Antonio and Paquita La Del Barrio.  He has also been very active in the studio laying tracks for the recordings of Sparx, Lorenzo Antonio, and several other local New Mexican artists.