From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1965
EUROPEAN SUCCESS PAVE WAY FOR LOPEZ
T R I N I L O P E Z who really made it big in the United States during the last year, got his momentum from his acceptance of “If I Had A Hammer.”
As his manager Bullets Durgom explains, “Trini caught on fast in Europe because the people liked his sound and beat.” Durgom said he found it aggravating attempting to convince American booking agents that Trini had been a success on his own merit in Europe in 1964 and deserve showcasing here.
“They didn’t want to believe his European success,” Bullets said. “They thought it was manufactured.”
But in little over a year the 27 year-old Dallas singer had broken attendance marks, set the Europeans singing and dancing along with his infectious melodic style and traveled more than 100,000 miles to earn $480,000 dollars.
At the Olympic Music Hall in Paris, the Reprise artist reportedly stole the spotlight from the Beatles, earning more encores than the Fab Four. In berlin, 23,000 fans crammed inside an arena to hear him sing. In Buenos Aires he drew 60,000.
More of the same occurred in Holland, Spain, Italy, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Australia, England, Germany, Monte Carlo, Beirut, Canada and Mexico.
In Mexico City, he broke the attendance record at the Terrazza Cassino and earned $80,000 for two weeks’ work.
Trini’s success in Europe can be directly traced to the single, “If I Had A Hammer,” culled from his debut LP for Reprise. This cut was recorded live at P.J.’s, a Los Angeles night spot.
A call by Pete Felderman, Reprise’s licensee in Holland, to Mo Ostin, Reprise general manager in Burbank, California, exclaiming that “Hammer” had everybody excited, alerted the record company of a developing enthusiasm for the rising star. Felderman said if Trini could appear on the Eurovision TV show “Grand Gala De Disc,” he felt the record could break wide open all over the Continent.
Lopez did go to Europe after ending a two-year engagement at P.J.’s and his appearance on the TV show excited other European bookers.
Durgom relates it was “thrilling to hear European audiences, many of who couldn’t speak English, singing along with Trini on such singles as “If I Had A Hammer,” America,” “This Land Is Your Land” and “Kansas City.” “It reminded me of a revival meeting,” Durgom said. The effect worked and through advance radio exposure, audiences memorized the lyrics and came in person to see the young American with the Latin accent, the infectious rocking beat along with the happy voice. Accompanying Trini on his first European tour were David Shriver, bass guitar, and Micky Jones, drums, since replaced by Gene Riggio.
When Trini returned to the United States, his first East Coast breakthrough occurred at Basin St. East in New York, where he was paced on the bill with the Smothers Brothers. This appearance resulted in national television exposure at bookings at Harold’s, Reno; Mr. Kelly’s, Chicago; Blinstrub’s, Boston; Latin Casino, Philadelphia; Off-Broadway, San Francisco; Flamingo, Las Vegas (at $15,000 per week for three weeks).
Also scheduled bookings are slated at the Eden Roc, Miami Beach. Trini’s first major booking after P.J.’s was at Cal-Neva for $1,200. The club has him booked this year at $15,000. END
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(Information and news source; Billboard; May 15, 1965)
A MCRFB Note: Trini Lopez with the Beatles (above two photos) courtesy the official Trini Lopez website.
