Trini Lopez is one eclectic guy. Starting out as a would-be teen idol before becoming a purveyor of folk hits and oldies in the raucous, stripped-down style that brought him fame,
Lopez further added to his melting pot of styles by cutting this country album in 1968. Traveling to Nashville with
Snuff Garrett, a producer known for his work with pop acts like
Bobby Vee and
Gary Lewis,
Lopez made a surprisingly straightforward and serious country record. On
Welcome to Trini Country,
Lopez mostly covers recent country hits and classics like "Flowers on the Wall," "Crazy Arms," and "Devil Woman," sticking to a recognizably country sound that, on "Good Old Mountain Dew," could even pass for bluegrass. Kudos to
Lopez for cutting "Shanghied," an excellent
Webb Pierce B-side that never became a hit for anyone. The series of cover photos that show
Lopez wearing cowboy duds and posing with
Johnny Cash,
Chet Atkins,
Marty Robbins, and
Floyd Cramer might give the impression that
Lopez intends to hang his saddle in
Trini Country for keeps, but when he interjects a lusty "sock it to me" in the middle of "Lonely Weekends," you know he's only passing through.