A Happy Birthday today to Herb Alpert. He was born in Los Angeles on March 31, 1935.

The instrumental “The Lonely Bull” was written by Sol Lake and recorded by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass. The tune was originally titled “Twinkle Star.” Alpert recorded it as a demo in his garage. Alpert says that he’d had a trip to Tijuana and watched the bullfights there and wanted to interpret that feeling. The actual recording was done at Conway Recorders in Hollywood with members of the famous Wrecking Crew. The track features a crowd cheering inside a bullfight arena in Mexico, Alpert’s trumpet, of course, a mandolin, a bass guitar, drums, and a soprano on a wordless chorus.

Alpert and his partner Jerry Moss earlier that year had founded A&M Records. “The Lonely Bull” was released on A&M in 1962 first  as a single, backed with “Acapulco 1922.” It was also on Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass’s debut album, on the A&M label, titled The Lonely Bull.

“The Lonely Bull” went to #6 on the U.S. Hot 100, #1 in Australia, and #22 in the U.K. There have been numerous covers. Artists with a version include The Ventures, The Shadows, Morrissey, and Harry James.

Herb Alpert was born in 1935 in Los Angeles. He has many accomplishments to his name as a musician, arranger, composer, executive, paint, and sculptor. He and Lani Hall, who sang with Sergio Mendes, have been married since 1974. They have been very involved in philanthropic activities. In the 1980s they created The Herb Alpert Foundation and the Alpert Awards in the Arts with The California Institute of the Arts.

If you are interested in other pieces by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass: “This Guy’s In Love With You” and “A Taste of Honey.”

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop music, rock and roll hits, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Golden Oldies Juke Box Saturday Night, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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