His first successful compositions were the whimsical track "Échale un Quinto al Piano" and "Lucio Vázquez", a recording that garnered particular acclaim among the Latino community.
He played a significant role in promoting ranchera music by discovering and supporting artists such as Javier Solís, Irma Serrano, Los Panchos (whom he brought to Mexico directly from New York), Las Hermanas Huerta, Los Alegres de Terán, and Las Hermanas Padilla.
Songs written by Valdés Leal have been covered by various artists including, Lucha Reyes, Matilde Sánchez, Amalia Mendoza, María de Lourdes, Lola Beltrán, Lucha Villa, Dora María, Flor Silvestre, Enriqueta Jiménez, Irma Serrano, Verónica Loyo, Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, Javier Solís, Miguel Aceves Mejía, Vicente Fernández, Pedro Vargas, Avitia, Antonio Aguilar, Luis Pérez Meza, Luis Aguilar, Las Hermanas Padilla, Las Hermanas Huerta, Las Hermanas Águila, Los Hermanos Záizar, and Los Alegres de Terán.
[10] In 1974, Valdés Leal retired and went to live with his family in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, where he spent his final years until he died on August 17, 1988.
[1] Valdés Leal often composed songs primarily revolving around male perspectives that emphasized a male-centered narrative in his writing.
[11] Bob Schwartz wrote in the Los Angeles Times that Valdés Leal's lyrical compositions often delved into lost love and an emotive yearning for one's homeland.
Slavko Perovic played a pivotal role in adapting Mexican songs from these films to resonate with the Yugoslavian audience.
In the original lyrics of Valdés Leal's "Entre Copa y Copa" which began with "With each additional drink my life ends/Crying drunk over your lost love", Perovic's version omitted the reference to excessive drinking and instead commenced with a description of a "gorgeous (cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa) skyspace" with the lyrics "As night falls and the sun sets".
In its inaugural ceremony, the organization's president Héctor Grimaldo Monsiváis unveiled a commemorative plaque and a bust of Valdés Leal.
[3] On January 15, 2018, the Palacio de Bellas Artes played Valdés Leal's compositions during Composers Day in Mexico.
[19] On June 26, 2019, Valdés Leal and composer José Ángel Espinoza were celebrated at a cultural festival in Saltillo, Mexico.