Creator and innovator, musician and producer, artist, and philanthropist, Herb Alpert is a man with a profound passion.
Born in Los Angeles, the future trumpeter came of age in a house filled with music. At the age of eight, he was drawn to the trumpet in a music appreciation class in his elementary school.
"I was very fortunate that I had that exposure to music and was encouraged to stick with it. Years ago, when the arts programs were cut out of our public schools, so many kids stopped having that kind of opportunity."
A legendary trumpet player, Alpert's extraordinary musicianship has earned him 5 #1 hits, 9 GRAMMY Awards, the latest from his 2014 album, "Steppin' Out," 15 Gold albums, 14 Platinum albums and has sold over 72 million records. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass propelled his sound into the pop music limelight, at one point outselling the Beatles two to one. In 1966, they achieved the since-unmatched feat of simultaneously having four albums in the Top 10 -- and five in the Top 20. Alpert also has the distinction of being the only artist who has had a #1 instrumental and vocal single.
Grammy Award-winning vocalist and producer, Lani Hall started her singing career in 1966, as the lead singer of Sergio Mendes's break through group, Brasil '66. She left behind her city roots in Chicago and, for 5 years, performed throughout the world. While Hall's singing career took her on the road, she also focused on her writing -- committing to the page her personal impressions of the world around her. Sergio Mendes further expanded her writing career by asking Hall to write the English lyrics for many of the band's Brazilian songs.
In 1966, A&M Records signed Brasil '66 and Lani met her future husband, music legend, Herb Alpert, who is also the co-founder of A&M Records. Herb and Lani married in 1973.