Palm Springs (AP) – The singer and guitarist Trini Lopez, who became famous with his interpretation of the cult song “If I Had a Hammer”, is dead.
He died on Tuesday in a hospital in Palm Springs, California, reported the US portals “Hollywood Reporter” and “Variety”. According to his colleague and business partner Joe Chavira, Lopez died of Covid-19 lung disease at the age of 83.
As Trinidad Lopez III. he grew up in poor conditions in Texas as the son of Mexican immigrants. While performing in a Hollywood nightclub, he was discovered by Frank Sinatra, who signed him to his record company Reprise Records. Lopez’s performances of the songs “If I Had a Hammer”, “Lemon Tree” and “La Bamba” became hits in the 1960s.
He recorded dozen of albums, had gigs in Las Vegas and went on tour worldwide. Lopez also starred in Hollywood films, including Robert Aldrich’s war film “The Dirty Dozen” (1967).
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 200812-99-133145 / 3
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