Trini Lopez

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Trini Lopez (1963)

Trini Lopez (born May 15, 1937 as Trinidad López III in Dallas , Texas , † August 11, 2020 in Rancho Mirage , California ) was an American pop singer . He became known in the 1960s with songs like If I Had a Hammer , This Land Is Your Land or La Bamba .

Life

Lopez's parents were from Mexico but settled in Dallas, Texas after they got married. There Lopez grew up with four sisters in poor circumstances. He attended Dallas Elementary School and NR Crozier Tech High School. Since he had to support his parents financially, he dropped out of school prematurely. His father, who had worked as a singer and actor, taught his son to play the guitar. After a time as a street musician, Lopez founded his own band and began singing in clubs, first in Texas and later beyond.

Trini Lopez died in August 2020 at the age of 83 of complications from COVID-19 .

Music career

In 1958 Lopez wrote his own song entitled The Right to Rock, which he released on the small record company Volk. He attracted the attention of the King Records label from Cincinnati , which offered him a three-year recording contract. At first he was allowed to record cover versions of old country songs , which brought little success.

It was only when he switched to the record company Reprise Records and to producer Don Costa that Lopez made his breakthrough in 1963 with the song If I Had a Hammer written by Pete Seeger . The title reached third place in the Hot 100 of the US music magazine Billboard , and the single was sold four million times worldwide. It was also released on the LP Trini Lopez at PJ’s . It became Lopez 'most successful album with number two in the US Top 200. By 1968 Lopez was able to place a total of 13 titles in the Hot 100.

The hit lists in Great Britain (5) and Germany (9) also recorded several Trini-Lopez titles. Lopez's great popularity in Germany prompted the German label Ariola to release two German-language singles in 1964 - Bye Bye Blondie and Michaela (!) [1] . With the title Farewell, Daisy Girl Lopez came to number 39 on the music market charts . By 1970, when he released his last single on Reprise, Lopez had sung about 50 singles and released over 20 long-playing records.

Acting

At the end of the 1960s, Lopez began a new acting career. After his first roles in TV series, his fellow singer, the actor and owner of the Reprise record company, Frank Sinatra , helped him get into the film business. Together with Sinatra, Lopez made his film debut in Three Times to Mexico ( Marriage on the Rocks, 1965). In 1967 he was in The Dirty Dozen . He got his first leading role in 1973 in the film Two Heavenly Rascals (Antonio).

Social commitment and awards

In addition to his artistic activities, Lopez was also involved in charities. He supported the charity March of Dimes , the US youth association Boy Scouts of America and foundations against cancer and diabetes . In the US Congress , Lopez was honored for his commitment to international relations and was named the United States' Goodwill Ambassador.

In addition to the Diamond Award for 100 million albums sold, he was also awarded a place on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars for his artistic achievements. Lopez continued his public appearances in show business with great success at the beginning of the 21st century. In 2000 he signed a two-year contract with Sony International Records to produce several compact discs .

Discography

Vinyl singles

From page Catalog no. publication
people
The Right to Rock / Just Once More 101 August 1958
King
Rosalia / Nola 5173 January 1959
Rock On / Since I Don't Have You 5187 March 1959
Love Me Tonight / Here Comes Sally 5198 April 1959
I'm Grateful / Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die 5234 August 1959
Nobody Loves Me / Nobody Listens to Our Teen Age Problems 5284 October 1959
Sweet Thing / Chain of Love 5304 January 1960
Jeanie Marie / Schemer 5234 February 1960
It Hurts to Be in Love / The Search Goes On 5344 May 1960
Then You Know / Don't Treat Me That Way 5418 November 1960
One Heart, One Life, One Love / You Broke the Only Heart 5487 March 1961
Jeanie Marie / Love Me Tonight 5801 October 1963
Don't Go / It Seems 5820 November 1963
Nobody Loves Me / The Club for Broken Hearts 5824 December 1963
Yes You Do / Won't You Be 5849 February 1964
The Search Goes On / Chain of Love 6021 January 1966
Recapitulation
Medley: Gotta Travel On / Volare / What'd I Say 199 April 1963
A-ME-RI-CA / Let It Be Known 20,168 May 1963
La Bamba (Part I) / B: La Bamba (Part II) 20,190 June 1963
If I Had a Hammer / Unchain My Heart 20,198 July 1963
Kansas City / Lonesome Traveler 20.236 November 1963
Jailer, Bring Me Water / You Can't Say Good-By 0260 February 1964
What Have I Got Of My Own / Ya Ya 0276 April 1964
Michael / San Francisco De Assisi 0300 August 1964
Sad Tomorrows / I've Lost My Love for You 0328 November 1964
Lemon Tree / Pretty Eyes 0336 December 1964
Are You Sincere / You'll Be Sorry 0376 May 1965
Sinner Man / Double Trouble 0405 October 1965
Made in Paris / Pretty Little Girl 0435 January 1966
I'm Comin 'Home, Cindy / The 32nd of May 0455 March 1966
La Bamba - Part 1 / Trini's Tune 0480 June 1966
Pancho Lopez / Hall of Fame 0508 August 1966
Takin 'the Back Roads / Your Ever Changin' Mind 0536 November 1966
Gonna Get Along Without Ya 'Now / Love Letters 0547 January 1967
Up to Now / In the Land of Plenty 0574 April 1967
The Bramble Bush / The Ballad of the Dirty Dozen 0596 June 1967
I want to be free / together 0618 August 1967
It's a Great Life / Let's Take a Walk 0648 December 1967
Sally Was a Good Old Girl / It's a Great Life 0659 January 1968
Good Old Mountain Dew / Mental Journey 687 1968
Something Tells Me / Malaguena Salerosa 770 1968
El Nino Del Tambor / Nocho De Paz 801 1968
Come a Little Bit Closer / Pata Cum Cum 814 February 1969
Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin '/ My Baby Loves Sad Songs 825 1969
Games People Play / Love Story 879 1969
5 O'Clock World / You Make My Day 912 1970
Mexican Medicine Man / Time to Get It Together 933 1970
Su-Kal-De-Don / Mexican Medicine Man 947 1970
Let's Think About Living / There Was a Crooked Man 0975 1970

LPs

title Catalog no. publication
Trini Lopez at PJ's Recapitulation 6093 1963
More Trini Lopez At PJ's Recapitulation 6103 1964
On the move Recapitulation 6112 1964
The Latin Album Recapitulation 6125 1964
Live At Basin St. East Recapitulation 6134 1964
The Folk Album Recapitulation 6147 1965
The Love Album Recapitulation 6165 1965
The Rhythm & Blues Album Recapitulation 6171 1965
The Sing-Along World Of Trini Lopez Recapitulation 6183 1966
Trini Recapitulation 6196 1966
The Second Latin Album Recapitulation 6215 1966
Greatest hits! Recapitulation 6226 1967
Trini Lopez in London Recapitulation 6238 1967
Trini Lopez - Now! Recapitulation 6255 1967

CDs

title Label publication
Welcome to Trini Country Collectables 1990
Teenage Love Songs Bear Family 1995
Hits & rarities Marginal 1996
Singles Collection Reyes 2001
Only The Best Of Trini Lopez Collectables 2008
Sinner Not A Saint ACE 2011
Live at PJ's Warner 2013

Chart placements

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks / months, awardChart placementsChart placementsTemplate: chart table / maintenance / monthly data
(Year, title, rankings, weeks / months, awards, notes) 		Remarks
DE DE AT AT UK UK US US
1963 Trini Lopez at PJ's DE2 (13 months)
DE 		- UK7 (25 weeks)
UK 		US2
gold
gold

(98 weeks)US
More Trini Lopez at PJ's DE6 (10 Mt.)
DE 		- - US11 (19 weeks)
US
1964 On the move DE15 (3 months)
DE 		- - US32 (33 weeks)
US
Live at Basin St. East - - - US30 (22 weeks)
US
The Latin Album DE11 (10 months)
DE 		- - US18 (24 weeks)
US
1965 The Folk Album DE36 (3 months)
DE 		- - US18 (23 weeks)
US
The Love Album - - - US32 (19 weeks)
US
The Rhythm and Blues Album - - - US46 (12 weeks)
US
The Sing Along World of Trini Lopez - - - US101 (10 weeks)
US
1966 Trini - - - US54 (16 weeks)
US
The Second Latin Album - - - US110 (8 weeks)
US
Greatest hits - - - US47 (11 weeks)
US
1967 Trini Lopez in London - - UK6 (17 weeks)
UK 		US114 (6 weeks)
US
Now! - - - US162 (7 weeks)
US
1981 Happy Trini Lopez DE9 (10 weeks)
DE 		AT2 (2½ months)
AT 		- -

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks / months, awardChart placementsChart placementsTemplate: chart table / maintenance / monthly data
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks / months, awards, notes) 		Remarks
DE DE UK UK US US
1963 If I Had a Hammer
Trini Lopez at PJ’s 		DE2 (5 months)
DE 		UK4 (17 weeks)
UK 		US3 (14 weeks)
US
Kansas City
More Trini Lopez at PJ’s 		DE39 (2 months)
DE 		UK35 (5 weeks)
UK 		US23 (10 weeks)
US
A-me-ri-ca
Trini Lopez at PJ’s 		DE3 (6 months)
DE 		- -
1964 Jailer, Bring Me Water
On the Move 		- - US94 (2 weeks)
US
This Land Is Your Land
Trini Lopez at PJ’s 		DE30 (1 month)
DE 		- -
Bye, bye, blondie
 DE28 (4 months)
DE 		- -
What Have I Got of My Own
On the Move 		- - US43 (13 weeks)
US
Michael
The Folk Album 		- - US42 (8 weeks)
US
Adalita
The Latin Album 		DE24 (3 months)
DE 		- -
1965 Angelito (Vous Permettez, Monsieur?)
The Latin Album 		DE39 (½ month)
DE 		- -
Lemon Tree
The Folk Album 		DE38 (½ month)
DE 		- US20 (7 weeks)
US
Goodbye, daisy girl
 DE39 (½ month)
DE 		- -
Sad Tomorrows
The Love Album 		- - US94 (1 week)
US
Are You Sincere
The Love Album 		- - US85 (3 weeks)
US
Sinner Man
Trini Lopez Plays and Sings 		- - US54 (9 weeks)
US
1966 I'm Comin 'Home, Cindy
Trini 		- UK28 (5 weeks)
UK 		US39 (7 weeks)
US
La Bamba Pt. 1
greatest hits 		- - US86 (5 weeks)
US
1967 Gonna Get Along Without Ya Now
Trini Lopez in London 		- UK41 (5 weeks)
UK 		US93 (3 weeks)
US
1968 Sally Was a Good Old Girl
It's a Great Life 		- - US99 (2 weeks)
US
1981 Trini Trax
 - UK59 (5 weeks)
UK 		-

literature

Web links

Commons : Trini López  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Jim Farber: Trini Lopez, Singing Star Who Mixed Musical Styles, Dies at 83. In: New York Times , August 11, 2020 (English). Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  2. ↑ a b Chart sources: DE AT UK US
  3. ↑ Music Sales Awards: US
personal data
SURNAME Lopez, Trini
ALTERNATIVE NAMES López, Trini; López, Trinidad III (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American singer
DATE OF BIRTH May 15, 1937
PLACE OF BIRTH Dallas , Texas , USA
DATE OF DEATH August 11, 2020
Place of death Rancho Mirage , California