Vincent Lopez

b. 30 December 1898, New York City, New York, USA, d. 20 September 1975, North Miami, Florida, USA. The celebrated pianist and leader of a highly popular ‘sweet style' dance band, Lopez originally intended to go into the church, and also tried his hand as a businessman. However, his father was a bandsman in the US Navy, and urged his son into a musical career, apparently forcing him to practice incessantly. He had his first professional job when he was 17-years-old and by 1916 was leading his own band at the prestigious Pekin Restaurant. By 1921, he was band leading at the Sta...