109 | 29 October 2023
Ritchie Valens | Top Tour of Spain | 14537
Guitarist, singer and song writer Richard Steven Valenzuela was born in Los Angeles, California on May 13, 1941 and grew up hearing traditional mexican mariachi music, flamenco music and rhythm and blues. By 15 he would take his guitar to school with him, and sing to his friends. He was self taught but a very accomplished musician. He dropped out of high school in 1958 to take up music full time.
He died in a plane crash on February 3, 1959 along with Big Bopper, Buddy Holly and others. He had been afraid of flying ever since there was a local plane crash near where he lived.
La Bamba, Come on Lets Go and other songs had been recorded for test purposes in a basement studio but the versions for issue were all taped in a session at Los Angeles’ famed Gold Star Studios for the Del-Fi label.
Ritchie Valens’ classic rock and roll recording La Bamba has been issued many times, and was scheduled for release on UK Sue WI 4011 in May 1966, but it is thought that it was never marketed. (It is on ILP 933, The Sue Story Vol 2).
“Donna”,/”La Bamba”, Del-fi 4110, 12 November 1958. UK Issue: London American HL 8803, February 1959.
Chart Position: “Donna” Billboard No 2, February 1959; “La Bamba”, Billboard No 22, February 1959
Sue Records UK 