Trini Lopez loses battle with Covid-19

American singer Trini Lopez died, last Tuesday, in Palm Springs, California, at the age of 83, after contracting coronavirus.

The pop sensation – who starred in Robert Aldrich’s war film, ‘The Dirty Dozen’ – passed away from COVID-19 complications.

Business partner and musician Joe Chavira said he and Lopez just finished recording a song to raise money for food banks, during the Covid-19 pandemic. “And here he is dying of something he was trying to fight,” quipped Chavira.

Trini was born Trinidad Lopez III, in Dallas, Texas, and he started playing in bands at 15.

He got his big break, in 1958, when his group, the Big Beats, signed with Columbia Records, after recording with Buddy Holly producer Norman Petty.

Lopez went solo, shortly afterwards, and signed with King Records, before leaving the label, in 1962.

He soon bagged a residency at the Los Angeles nightclub PJ’s, where Frank Sinatra saw his show and signed him to his Reprise Records, in 1963.

Work on an upcoming documentary, named ‘My Name Is Lopez,’ about his life, had recently been completed, and Lopez had been sent a cut, for approval, a couple of weeks ago.

Some of his biggest hits included ‘If I Had a Hammer,’ ‘Lemon Tree,’ This Land Is Your Land,’ “La Bamba,’ and ‘Crazy Arms,’

Sri Lanka music lovers had the opportunity of seeing Trini Lopez perform, in Colombo, on a couple of occasions.

His first show, at the Sugathadasa Stadium, was a resounding success, but his second, held at the Sri Lanka Convention & Exhibition Centre, was a total disaster.

Those who were there, for the second event, said that Lopez gave the impression that he was too old to be, on stage, performing.