El Monte Legion Stadium Ad

Former location –

The El Monte Legion Stadium was built as a school district facility in 1932. After World War II the stadium was sold to the American Legion where for a while it doubled as the West Coast version of the “Grand Ol’ Opry”.

In the ‘50s and ‘60s many early rock and roll greats would stop at the El Monte Legion Stadium as a regular place to play. Among them were Chuck Berry, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, The Grateful Dead, Ritchie Valens, Ray Charles, Ike and Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder and Johnnie Otis.

Famous deejay Art Laboe broadcasted “live” out of the stadium for more than a decade. Art was the first to officially broadcast the new sounds of Rock & Roll across the West Coast at the Legion Stadium which included many of the famous doo-wop & R & B musicians of the day.

One of Frank Zappa’s first hits, written in 1962 for the Penguins, was titled “Memories of El Monte.” A doo-wop song, Zappa wrote about the acts that called El Monte home.

The building Was torn down in 1974 and today it is the home of a post office.

Notable Concerts At The El Monte Legion Stadium include:

January 29, 1971 – Big Brother & the Holding Company
December 28, 1970 – Grateful Dead
December 27, 1970 – New Riders of the Purple Sage
June 1, 1960 – Fats Domino
July 20, 1958 – Jerry Lee Lewis

El Monte Legion Stadium
Corner of Valley & Ramona Blvds.
El Monte, CA 91731

El Monte Legion Stadium