Early ‘60’s pop/folk star Trini Lopez has died at the age of 83 after contracting the CornaVirus.
Lopez became a pop sensation after knocking ‘em dead at PJ’s nightclub in Los Angeles for years. (The response to Trini’s act caught the attention of Frank Sinatra, who signed him to his Reprise record label.) Trini’s version of “If I Had A Hammer” went all the way to #3 in 1963. He kicked off 1965 with the Top 20 Hit “Lemon Tree.” Along the way, he also hit the National Top 40 with records like “Kansas City” (#23, 1963), “Michael” (#36, 1964) and “I’m Comin’ Home, Cindy” (#39, 1966).
Lopez’s live albums at PJ’s (he released two of them, similar to what Johnny Rivers was doing when launching his career), did the same to kickstart his own career. His debut LP, “Trini Lopez At PJ’s,” sold a million copies and went to #3 on Billboard’s Top 200 Pop Albums Chart, where it stayed for 102 weeks. The follow up, “More Trini Lopez At PJ’s,” went to #11 later that same year. In all, Lopez would place 14 albums on Billboard’s chart, with nine of them making The Top 50.
Trini was a very charismatic performer … in addition to numerous television appearances over the years, he also landed a key role in the ‘60’s film classic “The Dirty Dozen” … and I remember “test-driving” his own personal brand of guitar as part of the Gibson line when I first started playing music. (I hear they’re now quite collectible! Take a look at what they’re going for on eBay!) A documentary of Trini’s life was already in the works at the time of his death.
I am sending a bit with Trini Lopez from my show back in 2014. He talks about getting his start in music.
He is one of the few that could talk first-hand about knowing Buddy Holly, Elvis, and Frank Sinatra.
Phil Nee
It’s true … and The Beatles, too, if I’m not mistaken.
His biography is going to be quite enlightening … hopefully they can get it out sooner rather than later in light of the circumstances. (What a shame … another Covid19 victim.)
And he kept pretty current, too … he was still singing, playing and recording … and even doing his versions of several contemporary rock songs that we all know and love … but I have to believe that these only appealed to his limited fan base at this point.
Truth be told, I was never much of a fan … but my Dad sure was. He’s the one who took me to see “The Dirty Dozen” (which I loved by the way … it’s still one of my favorite movies from that era.)
When I first started playing guitar I had my eye set on a Gibson ES335 … cherry red … and the small guitar shop that we would go to (the owner’s son gave guitar lessons in a small room in the back … I quit after three … I didn’t want to play “Rockin’ Down The Rye” … I wanted to play rock and roll!) … had a Trini Lopez model hanging on the wall. (Honestly, at the time it was very similar in body style … and my Dad was really pushing for me to get THAT one instead ... "C'mon ... it has Trini's signature on it!" ...but that was reason enough right there to sway me the other way ... all I could think about was how I wouldn’t be caught DEAD playing that thing … I’d lose any shred of credibility I might have had as a wannabe rock and roller!)
So I learned to play on my own (by ear … still can’t read music … but can usually sound out any song I hear after just a couple of run-throughs … and held out for my ES335, which I was able to save up and buy eventually. (I had a 1968 model … which is probably ALSO quite “priceless” these days.)
I never really got into the whole folk music … for the folk/rock music scene either for that matter … my first radio discovery was The British Invasion and it swept me up like a tornado … it’s all I wanted to hear. Besides, I never really understood why Trini kept squawking in the background, making all those ridiculous sounds (eek! eek! etc.) I spun around a couple of times during one of his songs to see if perhaps I was left at The Children’s Zoo! (kk)
He is one of the few that could talk first-hand about knowing Buddy Holly, Elvis, and Frank Sinatra.
Phil Nee
It’s true … and The Beatles, too, if I’m not mistaken.
His biography is going to be quite enlightening … hopefully they can get it out sooner rather than later in light of the circumstances. (What a shame … another Covid19 victim.)
And he kept pretty current, too … he was still singing, playing and recording … and even doing his versions of several contemporary rock songs that we all know and love … but I have to believe that these only appealed to his limited fan base at this point.
Truth be told, I was never much of a fan … but my Dad sure was. He’s the one who took me to see “The Dirty Dozen” (which I loved by the way … it’s still one of my favorite movies from that era.)
When I first started playing guitar I had my eye set on a Gibson ES335 … cherry red … and the small guitar shop that we would go to (the owner’s son gave guitar lessons in a small room in the back … I quit after three … I didn’t want to play “Rockin’ Down The Rye” … I wanted to play rock and roll!) … had a Trini Lopez model hanging on the wall. (Honestly, at the time it was very similar in body style … and my Dad was really pushing for me to get THAT one instead ... "C'mon ... it has Trini's signature on it!" ...but that was reason enough right there to sway me the other way ... all I could think about was how I wouldn’t be caught DEAD playing that thing … I’d lose any shred of credibility I might have had as a wannabe rock and roller!)
So I learned to play on my own (by ear … still can’t read music … but can usually sound out any song I hear after just a couple of run-throughs … and held out for my ES335, which I was able to save up and buy eventually. (I had a 1968 model … which is probably ALSO quite “priceless” these days.)
I never really got into the whole folk music … for the folk/rock music scene either for that matter … my first radio discovery was The British Invasion and it swept me up like a tornado … it’s all I wanted to hear. Besides, I never really understood why Trini kept squawking in the background, making all those ridiculous sounds (eek! eek! etc.) I spun around a couple of times during one of his songs to see if perhaps I was left at The Children’s Zoo! (kk)
Kent,
I just found out that singer/actor Trini Lopez has passed away. Don't know the reason but back in the day, as you know, he had quite a few records on Reprise. I always did like his 1964 song WHAT HAVE I GOT OF MY OWN. Trini Lopez is one of those singers that today, probably a lot of people forgot ever recorded.
Larry Neal
Despite having two Top 20 Hits, you rarely heard his music on the radio. (I know that Me-TV-FM plays both “If I Had A Hammer” and “Lemon Tree” … but odds are if you’re going to hear “If I Had A Hammer” at all, you’re PROBABLY going to hear the Peter, Paul and Mary version. Surprisingly, though, Trini’s version was actually the bigger hit on the charts! #3 vs #10. His version of “Lemon Tree” also outperformed theirs … #20 vs #35.) kk
Several years ago, Forgotten Hits became the first place on the planet to “Sneak Peek” a brand new track recorded by Trini Lopez and produced by Ron Dante. (Trini continued to record and perform throughout the years, often coming up with new arrangements of current pop hits along the way … check out his YouTube clip for Steve Miller’s “Fly Like An Eagle.”)
I asked Ron to say a few words about his friend …
Hi Kent -
I was sad to hear that Trini Lopez passed away a few days ago. He will live on through his many, many recordings. He was a good friend and fine artist.
I met Trini Lopez through a mutual friend years ago.
I was thrilled to meet him since I always thought he was a super talent who had made it in records, live shows and even films. He wanted to do a new CD with some very cool songs and he asked me to produce it.
Making the album with him was a pure joy. He worked hard on the songs we chose and was always in great spirits when we were in the studio together. I am very proud to have produced his album "Ramblin' Man."
I see lots of people are looking him up and streaming his hits and other songs. He would be so happy to know that. He just wanted to perform and make people happy.
God bless his soul,
Ron Dante
Trini’s winning personality made him a showstopper on the nightclub circuit … he was regularly playing Las Vegas before most pop stars had even considered this an option. While his voice may have been silent for the last several years in terms of radio airplay, people will again begin to discover his music due to news of his sad death earlier this week. Unfortunately, this always seems to be the way … but at least his music will enjoy one more round of appreciation now. (kk)
*****
Here’s a very well done piece on Wayne Fontana, who we lost last week …
