Dr. Al Carlos Hernandez, Hispanic News on-line
Edited by Susan Aceves
From
the barrio to Beverly Hills, this folk singing sensation took the world
by storm beginning in the early 1960's and continues the tempest even
today. Trini elicits standing ovations everywhere he performs and his
smooth style knows no age barrier.
Exhibit Records has just released a Special 50th Anniversary Numbered Limited Edition album of Trini Lopez "At PJ’s."
The 200 gram vinyl record is presented in a sturdy old style gatefold
jacket featuring the original album art work and, for the first time,
includes the lyrics to all the tunes. The back of each album is
foil-stamped with its unique number.
With the release of the PJ album in April 1963 Trini Lopez became one of the biggest singing stars of the Folk Revival.
At PJ's made it to #2 on the Billboard charts and stayed in the Top 40 for over a year. The album included the chart-topping
If I Had a Hammer which reached number one in 36 countries and was a radio favorite for
many years. The hit single sold more than 4 million copies; the album
sold over a million and was awarded a gold record.
This
was the album that made Lopez an instant success and the live party
atmosphere of the record did much to put Trini's likable energy over the
top. What Lopez did at the head of a trio was to make folk-pop swing.
Other songs include
This Land Is Your Land and
Gotta Travel On.
It could be surmised that by treating such material in this fashion,
Lopez had a tiny influence upon the subsequent folk-rock
movement...though, Lopez was more the all-around entertainer with a
Latin lilt than he was a pure folk singer, so you also get
America (from West Side Story),
La Bamba, Ray Charles'
What'd I Say,
Volare, and
When the Saints Go Marching In.
Trini
was a poor young man from the barrio of Dallas, Texas. He remembers
there being barely enough food for the family, the amount always
determined by his parents' ability to get whatever work they could.
"They worked and struggled together just to survive," he recalls. "They
plowed fields together. My mother washed clothes in the neighborhood for
extra income. You cannot imagine how hard it was."
When
he was eleven years old, his father spanked him for "hanging around
with the wrong kind of kids"...what a wise man he was to lead his
talented son from a life of street gangs to a life of sophisticated
graciousness. Trinidad Lopez, Sr. felt so bad about the spanking he had
given his son that he bought him a $12.00 guitar he really could not
afford. Trini says, "A spanking literally changed my life."
Trini
learned to play the guitar from his father. Then he played for money on
the street corners. He eventually went on to form his own group. It was
then that the world saw the beginnings of the singing, acting, and very
talented Trini Lopez. Trini's first songs were Mexican sing-alongs with
his mother, father, brother, and sisters.
He
dropped out of high school to help his father support the family by
singing around Dallas and the Texas "Southland." Trini's quality could
not be denied. He went on to the El Cipango Club in Dallas (a more
affluent part of Dallas) and to other big clubs throughout the
Southwest. He realized music would make him something special. Indeed it
did, enabling him to get himself, and his family, out of the barrio.
When
Trini was 18 years old, King Records in Cincinnati, Ohio, heard that
Trini had written and recorded a single in Dallas on a little label
called Volk Records. The name of the song was The Right to Rock.
From the beginning the record producer wanted Trini to change his name
to anything but Lopez. Trini was, and is, proud of his heritage and was
devastated by the situation.
Trini
refused and was heading out the door when the record producer stopped
him and said, "Okay, okay, you can keep your name." The single made a
little noise in Dallas, enough noise for King Records to be impressed
with Trini's voice and style. King Records offered Trini a recording
contract and for three years and flew Trini from Dallas to Cincinnati to
record for two weeks at a time. Unfortunately, the only songs they were
giving Trini to record were old country songs they had in their catalog
by country artists such as Cowboy Copus.
Since I Don't Have You.
The song hit the Top 10 nationwide, and Trini was elated to see his name
on Cashbox, and Billboard. The only other song on King Records Trini
had that was a No. 1 hit in his hometown of Dallas was a song called
Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die.
Once in a while in some
recording sessions, Trini would slip in some of his own compositions
that were more up to date. The only song to hit the charts nationally on
the King label for Trini was a song Trini covered by the Skyliners
called Trini
befriended the famous recording artist Mr. Buddy Holly, a fellow Texan.
Buddy Holly asked if Trini would like to meet his record producer in
Clovis, New Mexico. Trini was elated and packed his station wagon with
his group and drove to Clovis with the hopes of recording. Buddy Holly's
record producer turned out to be prejudiced because of Trini's
heritage. He would not allow the use of Trini's name on the record
label. Trini's group agreed with the conspiracy against Trini's Latin
name, and they agreed not to allow Trini to sing on the record. The
record was released as an instrumental under the name "The Big Beats."
When Trini returned to Dallas, he disbanded the group and assembled a
new band.
While
in Clovis, Trini befriended not only Buddy Holly but also his band, The
Crickets. As fate would have it, two months later, Buddy Holly was
killed in the fatal plane crash along with Richie Valens and The Big
Bopper. A couple of months after the plane crash, Trini received a phone
call from The Crickets asking him to come to Hollywood to be their lead
singer. Trini was ecstatic and, instead of flying, he used the money
sent by The Crickets to drive his station wagon to Los Angeles. All
through the two and half day trip Trini kept saying to himself,
"Hollywood or bust! Hollywood or bust!!!" In 1960, Trini arrived in
H-O-L-L-Y-W-O-O-D driving his old station wagon with "Trini Lopez and
his Combo" painted on each side.
The
agreement Trini had with The Crickets did not materialize because The
Crickets were enjoying their royalties and record sales from Buddy
Holly's past hit recordings and were in no hurry to perform. Lopez left
Dallas with $200 and it was soon gone. He had promised he would be
sending monies to his parents from his engagements in California. Out of
desperation, Trini Lopez, the soloist was born.
Trini
got a job at the Ye Little Club in Beverly Hills. He was hired with no
group, just with his guitar. His engagement was to last two weeks and
ended up lasting a year. The
first big break came at the popular night spot called P. J.'s. Here he
was spotted by the world famous record producer, the late Don Costa, who
then brought Trini to the attention of his longtime idol, Mr. Frank
Sinatra. The great singer recognized a fellow stylist and immediately
signed Trini to an exclusive eight-year contract with his own label -
Reprise Records.
Reprise released his first album Trini Lopez at P. J.'s, which became a No. 1 hit album. Out of that album a single If I Had a Hammer became a No. 1 hit in thirty eight countries. If I Had a Hammer
hammered his name in GOLD with many hit albums and many hit singles ...
and in the hearts of millions of fans throughout the world! Following Hammer were many hits which he wrote, as well as songs like I'm Coming Home Cindy, Michael, Lemon Tree, Kansas City, America, and, of course, La Bamba. The list of songs he made famous goes on. It wasn't until If I Had A Hammer
ultimately sold five million copies (and still selling throughout the
world) that he got it through his head he IS something special.
He began by playing a priest and a parole officer on two of Jack Webb's
Adam 12
TV shows for Universal, which was aired on the NBC network. From there
he went to movies. Frank Sinatra cast Trini's in his first appearance:
the movie,
Marriage on the Rocks, which also starring Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. His second movie appearance was in
A Poppy is Also a Flower starring Sean Connery, Marcello Mastriani and a star-studded cast. Following this was the classic
The Dirty Dozen starring Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson and another star studded cast. Trini's first starring role was in
Antonio with his co-star, the infamous "J.R.," Larry Hagman. Then he became an army G.I. for a TV Movie of the Week called
The Reluctant Heroes for Aaron Spelling Productions.
The
future for Trini will be as active as usual with touring around the
world, a new album in the making, and hopefully a movie, but now he is
more selective and chooses his projects carefully. Since his move to
Palm Springs, where he now resides year-round, the "laid-back"
atmosphere has sort of rubbed-off on him, and it's not necessary for
Trini to do every project he's offered. So, you'll find him on the
tennis courts or golf course almost any day, as it has become a new
passion with him and he has the trophies to prove it.
Dr. Al Carlos Hernandez, was honored to speak with the music legend.
AC: Tell us about growing up poor in Dallas. Was your first language Spanish? Tell us a little about your family.
TL:
Growing up in Dallas was very difficult for me. My family and I lived
in a two room house and it certainly was crowded. My first language was
Spanish. My father and mother were very poor, but they were very rich
spiritually.
AC: What kind of music did you listen to around the house? Your dad was musically talented?
TL: I listened to Spanish music around my house growing up - my father taught me my first Spanish songs at a very young age.
AC:
Did growing up poor color your musical choices later in life by
pursuing folk music which was known for its commentary on social change?
TL:
Later on in my life, folk music influenced my very much because folk
music, at that time, had a very interesting message. Being poor had
nothing to do with it.
AC:
What gave you the courage to take your music to Dallas' more affluent
clubs? Did you consciously want to cross over and play to English
speaking audiences?
TL:
I started singing English songs to Anglo people from the beginning of
my career. The more affluent clubs in Dallas approached me because of my
reputation as an entertainer at that time.
AC: How did Latinos in your community react to the idea of you doing songs in English?
TL: My Latin friends enjoyed hearing me sing rock and roll and popular songs.
AC: What did the Anglo audiences think of you at first and did you have to win them over?
TL: I was always very lucky, whether the audience was Latino or Anglo, they always enjoyed my singing.
AC: Tell us about landing your first record deal at 18?
TL:
I was contacted by phone by King Records in Cincinnati, Ohio. King
Records heard the first record I recorded for a small label in Dallas.
The song was The Right to Rock.
AC: The Right to Rock?
TL: When I wrote the song The Right to Rock, I was singing mostly rock and roll.
AC: What kind of a performer did you want to be? An Elvis, a Chuck Berry, a folk singer?
TL: I just wanted to be a popular singer.
AC: Why did you fight so hard to keep your name when the producer wanted to change it?
TL: I was, and am, very proud to be a Mexicano!
AC: Do you think changing your name to an Anglo one could have helped your career?
TL: Yes, very much!!
AC:
You were one of the first Latino megastars who kept their Latino name.
That took a lot of guts back then. Does the Latino community appreciate
this?
TL: I don’t know.
AC:
Tell us about the early recordings. How did you feel hearing yourself
on the radio? How did your family react to your initial success?
TL:
The first time I heard myself on the radio I was driving along in my
station wagon and I pulled over to the side of the street. I listened to
the whole song and waited until the disc jockey mentioned my name. I
was very excited, of course.
AC:
Tell us about some of the first songs you had written. Was it harder
for a Latino to break into mainstream music at that time?
TL: It was very, very difficult!!! The songs I wrote in my early career were The Right to Rock, Rock On and Only In My Dreams.
AC: How did you meet Buddy Holly and what was that friendship like?
TL:
I was appearing at a night club in Wichita Falls, Texas and Buddy Holly
was in town at that time to promote his single record That Will Be the Day.
The disc jockey who was interviewing Buddy that day was a friend of
mine from Dallas. His name was Tommy Garrett. After Tommy’s interview
with Buddy, Tommy said to Buddy, “There is a friend of mine from Dallas
appearing at a night club here, would you like to go see and hear him?”
Buddy said, “Yeah, oh sure.” After my show, Tommy brought Buddy to my
dressing room. Buddy Holly was very friendly and very nice. He said to
me, “Trini, I really enjoyed your show and I think you are great!" He
asked me if I would you like to meet his record producer. That was how I
met Buddy Holly.
AC: You mentioned that when Buddy passed away, The Crickets called you to come to Hollywood to replace him.
TL:
Yes, when Buddy was killed his group, The Crickets, asked me to come
and join them in Hollywood, then go on tour with them as their lead
singer.
AC: Tell us about becoming a totally broke solo artist in LA. Your objective was to send home money to your family, correct?
TL:
My objective when I first went to Los Angeles was to get a singing
engagement as soon as possible because I told my parents I would send
them money as quickly as I could.
AC: At that time, who was big in performing and getting good gigs? Who were your contemporaries?
TL:
At the time I went to Hollywood in 1960, the people who were getting
the good gigs were Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Dean Martin, and Sammy
Davis Jr., etc. My contemporaries were The Everly Brothers, Eddie
Cochran, and actor/singer Tommy Sands.
AC: Tell us about PJ’s and meeting Don Costa. What was his impact on your career?
TL:
Meeting Don Costa at PJ’s had one of the biggest impacts on my career.
Don Costa, at that time, was producing and recording artists like Frank
Sinatra and Barbra Streisand.
AC: Because of Costa, you started hanging with people like Sinatra and many other mega stars. How did they treat you?
TL:
Because of Don Costa, I had hits on my first two albums recorded live
at PJ’s. Right after that, Frank Sinatra wanted to meet me and he
introduced me to artists like Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and many
more big stars. All these mega stars treated me with a lot of respect
and admiration.
AC: How did you assemble songs for this legendary PJ's album?
TL:
I asked Don Costa when we started to record the PJ’s album, “What do
you want me to do?” Don said, “Just do your show and we will record it.”
AC: Did you want to be a folk singer? Have you been type-cast as a folk singer?
TL: They wanted to type cast me as a folk singer because at that time folk music was very popular.
AC: How did your life change when the album became a monster hit and Hammer sold five million copies?
TL: Having a hit single and album did not affect me at all. I always have had my feet on the ground.
AC: Did the fame and fortune cause you to go into excesses, like so many artists have over the years?
TL: The only excessive thing I started to do was I spent a lot of money on clothes!
AC: How do you like being a music icon? What is the good and bad of fame for you?
TL: I have enjoyed it all my life. There is no good or bad, it is what you make it.
AC: Tell us about your acting career. How did this all get started?
TL: When I started my career, I was approached by the producer of The Dirty Dozen and he said that he would like for me to play the part of Jimenez in the movie. That’s how it all started.
AC: Tell us about The Dirty Dozen - that was an iconic film. What was that like?
TL: It was very exciting to be a part of such a marvelous cast.
AC: What are some of the highlights of your acting reel? Did you ever consider becoming a full time film and TV actor?
TL:
Working and doing a little bit of acting with actors like John
Cassavetes and Lee Marvin were some of the highlights. I wanted to do
more acting in my career, but it is a very difficult act to get into.
AC:
You have never been overtly political but rather you let your music
make your statement about things. Have you shied away from political
causes considering you are one of the highest profile Mexican-American
performers in American History?
TL: I have purposely shied away from politics.
AC: Is there a reason you have kept a low profile on these sorts of things?
TL: Yes, the reason is I think an entertainer/artist should keep to his own business.
AC:
You are involved in many things including a signature series of
guitars. Can you tell us about some of your side interests and hobbies?
TL: My only other interest other than my Gibson guitars is I enjoy golf and tennis.
AC:
You have continued to travel and tour the world over the years and
still keep your music fresh. What motivates you to keep it going?
TL: That is a hard question. It is my inner self and spirit that makes me want to make people happy.
AC: Tell us all about the Special 50th Anniversary Numbered Limited Edition album of Trini Lopez At PJ’s?
TL: My most successful album in my career has always been Trini Lopez Live in P.J’s. I am thrilled Exhibit Records is re-issuing my very first LP in vinyl!!!
AC: Are you planning to tour in support of the re-release?
TL: If I get the right offers, I will.
AC: What can fans expect from the LP?
TL: Beside all of the lyrics being printed on the inside jacket, the recording itself is digitally re-mastered.
AC: How do you think history will remember you?
TL: I hope history will remember me as a down-to-earth person who loves people.
AC: What are some things still on your bucket list?
TL: I would like to do some serious acting.
AC: What would you like your legacy to be?
TL: It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.
