Trini Lopez, the late singer and guitarist who had hits with “If I Had a Hammer” and “Lemon Tree” and starred in the classic war film The Dirty Dozen, left an indelible mark on the Foo Fighters.
The world lost “yet another legend,” wrote Dave Grohl as news of Lopez’s passing spread via through news outlets.
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The all-rounder “not only left a beautiful musical legacy of his own, but also unknowingly helped shape the sound of the Foo Fighters from day one,” reads the post on the official Foos social channels.
“Every album we have ever made, from the first to the latest, was recorded with my red 1967 Trini Lopez signature guitar. It is the sound of our band, and my most prized possession from the day I bought it in 1992,” the tribute continues. “Thank you, Trini for all of your contributions. You will be missed by many, remembered by all. RIP Trini Lopez.”
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Lopez reportedly died Tuesday (Aug. 11) in Palm Springs, following a battle with the novel coronavirus. He was 83.
The Dallas native and son of Mexican immigrants was signed by Frank Sinatra to his Reprise Records label, and he recorded more than 60 albums during his lifetime.
Lopez’s version of “If I Had a Hammer,” written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays, reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963, and his cut of “Lemon Tree,” written by Will Holt, reached No. 20 in 1965.
He also portrayed a convict named Pedro Jimenez in The Dirty Dozen, and worked with the Gibson Guitar Corp. to design a pair of signature guitars.
Read the Foo Fighters’ message to Lopez below.