In the heart of the 1960s rock revolution, jazz trumpeter Herb Alpert achieved unprecedented chart success with his smooth, Latin-inspired instrumentals, outselling even the Beatles at their peak. Now 91, Alpert reflects on his Tijuana Brass phenomenon that captivated America 60 years ago.
Chart Domination in April 1966
Exactly 60 years ago, on April 2, 1966, Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass occupied four spots in the Billboard 200 top 10. Going Places sat at number two, Whipped Cream & Other Delights at three, South of the Border at nine, and The Lonely Bull at ten. Even his 1963 album Volume 2 reached the top 20.
By year’s end, these albums ranked as the first, third, 11th, and 14th best-sellers. The May release What Now My Love placed fifth. This feat remained unmatched until Taylor Swift mirrored it in 2023 with four albums in the top 10.
“I didn’t think much about it but I was happy for her,” Alpert says. “She’s smart, she’s talented, she writes a good song. She absolutely knows her audience. And she plays right into them.”
Early Life and Music Industry Breakthrough
Alpert grew up in a musical family, with his father on mandolin and mother on violin. He mastered the trumpet through school, college, and military service. Post-discharge, he partnered with Lou Adler to co-write Sam Cooke’s Wonderful World and produced for Jan and Dean.
In 1962, Alpert co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss, becoming the “A” in the label. “I had a bad experience with RCA Victor,” Alpert recalls. “They treated me like a number. I didn’t even have a name in the studio. It was, ‘78452, take one.’ So I said, ‘Man, if I ever had my own record company, it would revolve around the artist.’ And that was the concept of A&M. It was all about the artists.”
A&M became a powerhouse, signing acts like the Carpenters and Carole King, but Alpert’s own records drove its early triumphs.
The Tijuana Brass Sound and Rise to Fame
Despite the name, the Tijuana Brass started as Alpert’s multitracked trumpet with session musicians, inspired by a Tijuana bullfight that birthed The Lonely Bull. Early albums blended Latin flavors with lounge exotica, building steady chart presence.
Spring 1966 marked the explosion. “I was at the right place at the right time,” Alpert says. “I was pretty much embarrassed by the whole thing, to tell you the truth. It was a very strange feeling to turn on the radio and all I could hear was my music. I had to get used to it. That wasn’t my goal, to be famous. I just wanted to be successful.”
Tracks like A Taste of Honey ignited crowds. “I played A Taste of Honey in Seattle, Washington, and people went crazy over it,” Alpert remembers. “I would play it twice. Sometimes in a row.” Jerry Moss initially saw it as a B-side, but Alpert insisted, propelling it to massive exposure.
The music appealed to sophisticated adults, evoking cocktail parties with its slick, suave vibe. Iconic covers, like Whipped Cream & Other Delights featuring model Dolores Erickson in whipped cream, boosted sales.
TV, Jingles, and Vocal Hits
Television amplified the buzz: Tijuana Brass tracks scored The Dating Game, Mexican Shuffle became a Clark’s Teaberry gum jingle, and a CBS special showcased Alpert singing This Guy’s In Love With You. Released as a single in 1968, it topped the Hot 100 for four weeks.
Later Career Milestones
Post-Tijuana Brass peak, Alpert innovated. In 1979, he transformed nephew Randy’s Rise into a smoother funk hit that reached number one, making him the only artist to top the Hot 100 with vocal and instrumental tracks. He later collaborated with Janet Jackson on Diamonds, another top-five success.
In 1997, Puff Daddy sampled Rise for Hypnotize, which hit number one. Alpert continues recording and touring with wife Lani Hall, formerly of Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66.
Today, Ladyfingers from Whipped Cream leads Spotify streams, revived on TikTok for viral montages. “I’ve had over four billion streams on it,” Alpert marvels. “And just out of curiosity, I looked at the census for when I was born in 1935, and there were 2.7 billion people in the world… So let’s back up, put that in perspective, and be like, wow, man.”
Herb Alpert and a reimagined Tijuana Brass tour the US throughout 2026.
