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TRINI LOPEZ
Trini was born Trinidad López III in
Dallas on May 15, 1937. Before becoming famous, the Mexican-American singer/guitarist established his "chops" and reputation
on the club circuit of the southwest.
He was "discovered" by Don Costa, record
producer, while playing at the PJ Club in Hollywood. Costa liked Lopez's latinized renditions of contemporary hits
and signed him up to Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records.
Trini's debut album, Trini Lopez Live
at PJ's, was released in 1963. The album included Lopez's most famous song, "If I Had A Hammer" (#3,
1 week- Top 40, 11, first charted August 10, 1963), which reached #1 in 25 other countries. While nowhere on a Top Anything
Chart, it remains recognizable and popular, today.
Trini then recorded covers of other popular
songs, including "Kansas City" (12/63), "Lemon Tree" (02/65), "I'm Coming Home Cindy"
(05/66). All made it to the Top 40, ranking #23, #20, #39, respectively.
During the 60s & 70s, Lopez got into acting though
his film career was nothing compared to his music which he continued within his Latin music genre.
In 2003, Trini was inducted into the International
Latin Music Hall of Fame.
Lopez has been involved with charity
work and has received many honors. In 2004, he announced a new CD and performed in a benefit concert to raise
money for the victims of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.
The song, "You Are My Sunshine" to which you are listening
is from trini's "Best Of" album to the right.
Johnny
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MAMAS & PAPAS
The Mamas and Papas were the epitomy of
the mid sixties "happening."... From their cobbled hippie countenance of different fashions, actions, and personalities to
their harmonies, enhanced by the unique timbre of their combined voices, they exuded the look, attitudes, and sound of the
times. As a musical group, under the aegis of Lou Adler, Dunhill Records, they forged a new, multi-layered sound --
often up to 16 tracks. Of course, this new technology, in effect, imprisoned them to be a studio group, for without mere lip-synching
to a recording, it was not possible back then to recreate the sound, "live."
The group was composed of Denny Doherty
(born 11/29/41), Cass Elliot ( born 9/19/41, died 7/29/74), John Phillips (born 8/30/35, died 3/19/01), Michelle Phillips
(born 4/6/44). Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot, "Mama Cass," were the real leads of the group. Though Michelle
Phillips sang soprano, she most often sang in harmony to Mama Cass' strong alto voice. John Phillips,
was the leader, singer, and principal composer of the songs. John and Michelle were married.
The group had a meteoric rise... but a
short orbit before crashing back to earth. They had it all.. not just in the United States, but worldwide. However, internally,
personalities, an inter-group extra marital romance, and other "substances" got in the way. Externally, this country
was also crashing from assinations to protests over the lingering Vietnam War that was consuming tens of thousand lives
even by 1968. The laid-back "California Dreamin," of which they once respresented and sung, was no longer.
Seemingly, everyone was marching for some cause and the colleges campuses were as electric.
Nonetheless, the Mamas and Papas' contribution
to music was AND REMAINS a phenominal milestone. On January 12, 1998, The Mamas and the Papas are inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the thirteenth annual induction dinner. Shania Twain was their presenter.
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