Cat. No. VV 1084: RITCHIE VALENS ~ HIS GREATEST HITS. LONDON / DECCA HA 8196.

USED VINYL RECORD. PART OF A COLLECTION NOW UP FOR SALE.

THE STORY OF RITCHIE VALENS IS FAIRLY WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE MUSIC WORLD. BORN INTO COMPARATIVE POVERTY, RITCHIE, VALENS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF LEGENDARY AMERICA, WHERE A YOUNG MAN, THROUGH HIS TALENTS ALONE, CAN ACHIEVE INSTANTANEOUS ACCEPTANCE AND FAME. AT AGE NINE RITCHIE CAME INTO THE POSSESSION OF A SPANISH GUITAR FROM WHICH HE BECAME INSEPARABLE. HE FORMED A GROUP WHILST STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL CALLED THE SILHOUETTES, WHO ENTERTAINED AT SCHOOL ASSEMBLIES AND PRIVATE PARTIES. HERE HE WAS DISCOVERED BY BOB KEENE OF DEL-FI RECORDS WHO PROMPTLY SIGNED RITCHIE TO HIS LABEL. SADLY, AS WE ALL KNOW, RITCHIE PERISHED AT JUST SEVENTEEN YEARS OF AGE IN THE SAME PLANE CRASH THAT TOOK THE LIVES OF BUDDY HOLLY AND THE BIG BOPPER. THIS ALBUM WAS COMPILED JUST BEFORE RITCHIE'S DEATH AS THE LINER NOTES INDICATE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL SONGS ON THE ALBUM WHICH RITCHIE PERSONALLY REQUESTED TO BE INCLUDED. THE ALBUM WAS RUSH RELEASED AFTER RITCHIE'S PASSING.

THE ALBUM IS AN ENGLISH PRESSING RELEASED ON THE LONDON LABEL THROUGH DECCA RECORDS. THE SLEEVE IS IN REASONABLY GOOD CONDITION CONSIDERING IT'S AGE ALTHOUGH THERE IS SOME WRITING ON THE BACK IDENTIFYING THE OWNER OF THE RECORD AS WELL AS SEVERAL INK LINES DRAWN BETWEEN THE LETTERING. ALSO THERE ARE FOUR PIECES OF SELLOTAPE ACROSS THE THE TOP SEAM WHERE THE SEAM HAS COME ADRIFT FROM THE MAIN BODY OF THE SLEEVE. THERE ARE NO ACTUAL TEARS IN THE SLEEVE. THE SLEEVE ALSO HAS SEVERAL MINOR CREASES AND IS SLIGHTLY SOILED FRONT AND REAR. THE RECORD IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND HAS BEEN PLAYED RIGHT THROUGH AND PLAYS PERFECTLY. OVERALL IT IS A VERY WORTHY COLLECTABLE ITEM.

TRACK LISTING: Side 1: Donna / La Bamba / Come On Let's Go / We Belong Together / Bluebirds Over The Mountain / In A Turkish Town. Side 2: Stay Beside Me / Cry, Cry, Cry / Hurry Up / Rockin' All Night / From Beyond / Malaguena.

12" VINYL RECORD