Maps of Music

Ritchie Valens (1959)

Where the lyrics of Ritchie Valens take you, and where it was really made.

This debut album came out nine days after its singer died in a plane crash.

Key places

Where the album was recorded (1959)

Recording site Track Record Studios — The album's master tracks were recorded at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles. It is the only studio album by Valens made entirely of these tracks. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Debut album by American musician Ritchie Valens
• Released 12 February 1959 by Del-Fi Records
• Released nine days after Valens died in a plane crash
• His only studio album made entirely of master tracks recorded at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles
• Peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard album chart

Background

• Valens died in a plane crash in February 1959, at 17 years old
• The album came out after his death, while his singles were still on the US charts
• The LP's release followed his brief career as a rock performer

Recording

• Recorded at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles
• Track listing has 12 songs
• Songs include "That's My Little Suzie", "In a Turkish Town", "Come On, Let's Go", "Donna" and "La Bamba"

Cover

• Original covers printed the title as "I Got A Gal Named Sue", corrected on later pressings
• The album has been reissued over the years with different covers

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Richard Steven Valenzuela, born May 13, 1941, in Pacoima, Los Angeles; parents of Yaqui Mexican descent.
• Self-taught musician; joined local band The Silhouettes at 16 and became their lead vocalist.
• Signed to Del-Fi Records by owner Bob Keane in May 1958; adopted the stage name Ritchie Valens.

Career

• Hits included "La Bamba", adapted from a Mexican folk song into a rock arrangement, and "Donna", which reached number two in the US.
• Appeared on American Bandstand and The Dick Clark Show in late 1958.
• Died February 3, 1959, in a plane crash in Iowa at age 17, along with Buddy Holly and J. P. Richardson; the event became "The Day the Music Died".
• Posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• Regarded as a pioneer of Chicano and Latin rock and the first Latino to cross over into mainstream rock.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released by Del-Fi Records on 12 February 1959
• Came out nine days after Valens's death in a plane crash
• The album peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard album chart

Records

• The LP produced four US chart singles
• "Donna" reached number 2 on the US chart
• "La Bamba" reached number 22 on the US chart
• "Come On, Let's Go" reached number 42 on the US chart
• "That's My Little Suzie" reached number 55 on the US chart
• The album was later reissued with different covers

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Early pressings had black and sea green labels with circles around the outer edge; later pressings had black labels with gold and sea green diamonds around the outer edge.
• Original album covers printed the title as "I Got A Gal Named Sue", corrected on later pressings.
• "La Bamba" is credited as traditional, adapted by Ritchie Valens, and later gave its name to a film about his life.
• "Donna" was a romantic ballad Valens wrote for a high school crush.
• The album has been reissued over the years with different covers.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

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