Trini

Trini Lopez carved out a corner for himself that seems so obvious on the surface, and yet it is his own. He takes a wide range of material — pop standards, folk songs, country, and R&B — and performs them simply and energetically with a fast-strummed electric guitar for accompaniment. Trini dishes up more of the same and became a moderate hit on the album charts in 1966. Don Costa is credited with the arrangements but didn't have to work too hard — Lopez's voice and a guitar, with a prominent drum kit for support, dominate the mix. Occasionally horns or a vocal chorus make an appearance, but Lopez's style requires so little for effect it makes you wonder whether the extra touches were really necessary. His choice of repertoire ranges from intriguing ("Fly Me to the Moon," Bobby Mitchell's "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday") to obvious (the Beatles' "Yesterday," Chris Montez's "Call Me"). Lopez isn't known for his skills as a composer, but he co-wrote "Trini's Tune" and "I'm Comin' Home, Cindy," the latter of which is a rewrite of a traditional folk song that gave Lopez a Top 40 hit.