Trini Lopez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Trini Lopez
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Lopez in 1963
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Trinidad López III |
| Born | May 15, 1937 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | August 11, 2020 (aged 83) Palm Springs, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1959–2020 |
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Trinidad López III (born May 15, 1937 – died August 11, 2020) was a famous American singer, guitarist, and actor. He was known for his energetic live performances and his unique guitar style. His first album featured a popular version of the song "If I Had a Hammer", which became a huge hit worldwide. Trini Lopez also designed two special guitars for the Gibson Guitar Corporation. These guitars are now very valuable to collectors. A movie about his life, called "My Name is Lopez," was released in 2022.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Trini Lopez was born in Dallas, Texas, on May 15, 1937. His father, Trinidad Lopez II, was a singer, dancer, and musician from Mexico. His mother was Petra Gonzalez. They moved to Dallas from their hometown in Mexico. Trini grew up in a neighborhood called Little Mexico in Dallas. He had four sisters and a brother named Jesse, who is also a singer. Trini left high school early to help his family earn money.
Music Career Highlights
Trini Lopez started his first band when he was just 15 years old in Wichita Falls, Texas. Later, in 1957, he and his group "The Big Beats" got a contract with Columbia Records. However, Trini soon decided to record music on his own. He signed with King Records in 1959.
In 1962, Trini began performing at a popular nightclub called PJ's. His shows quickly became very popular. Famous singer Frank Sinatra saw him perform and signed Trini to his own record label, Reprise Records.
His first live album, Trini Lopez at PJ's, came out in 1963. It included his version of "If I Had a Hammer". This song became a number one hit in 36 countries and sold over a million copies! He also sang a version of the traditional Mexican song "La Bamba" on the album.
Trini Lopez had many other hit songs throughout the 1960s. Some of these include "Lemon Tree" (1965), "I'm Comin' Home, Cindy" (1966), and "Sally Was a Good Old Girl" (1968). He once said that "Lemon Tree" was one of his most requested songs because it was very catchy. He also became a top performer in nightclubs, especially in Las Vegas. In 1967, he even sang a song for a Coca-Cola soft drink called Fresca.
Trini continued to tour and perform around the world. In 2002, he worked with Art Greenhaw on an album called Legacy: My Texas Roots. After this, Trini focused more on helping others through charity work. He kept recording music and performing live until his death. He even appeared with famous Dutch violinist André Rieu in the Netherlands. His 65th album, Into The Future, was released in 2011.
Designing Gibson Guitars
Because Trini Lopez was so popular, the Gibson Guitar Corporation asked him to design a guitar in 1964. He actually designed two! One was called the Trini Lopez Standard, which was a rock and roll style guitar. The other was the Lopez Deluxe, a jazz guitar. Both of these guitars were made from 1964 to 1971. Today, they are very special and valuable to guitar collectors. Famous guitarists like Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters and Noel Gallagher from Oasis have owned these guitars.
Acting Career
In the 1960s and 1970s, Trini Lopez also tried acting. His first movie role was a small appearance in Marriage on the Rocks (1965). One of his most famous acting roles was in the movie The Dirty Dozen (1967). He also played himself in The Phynx (1970) and the main character in Antonio (1973). He appeared in two episodes of the TV show Adam-12 and one episode of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.
Awards and Recognition
Trini Lopez received several honors for his contributions to music and entertainment:
- In 1993, he received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California.
- He was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2003.
- On his 71st birthday in 2008, he was inducted into the Las Vegas Walk of Stars.
- The documentary film "My Name is Lopez," which tells the story of his life, was released in 2022.
Personal Life
Trini Lopez never married and did not have any children. His nephew, Trini Martinez, was a drummer for a band called Bedhead.
Trini Lopez passed away on August 11, 2020, in Palm Springs, California. He was 83 years old.
Use of Music in Films
- His recording of "Cielito Lindo" was used in the 1989 movie Born on the Fourth of July.
See also
In Spanish: Trini López para niños
