Lani Hall (born November 6, 1945) is an American singer, lyricist, author, and the wife of Herb Alpert.
From 1966 to 1971 she performed as lead vocalist for Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66. In 1972 she released her first solo album Sundown Lady, but she may be best known for her rendition of the theme song to the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again. In 1986 she was awarded her first Grammy Award for Es Fácil Amar as “Best Latin Pop Performance.” [1] After that year she largely retired, resurfacing in 1998 with the solo album Brasil Nativo. She has the distinction of recording over 22 albums in three different languages and has released three albums, Anything Goes, I Feel You and Steppin’ Out, on which she performs alongside her husband Herb Alpert. She received her second Grammy Award in 2013 as producer for the album, Steppin’ Out.
Her first public appearance occurred at The Centaur, a coffee house in Old Town, Chicago in 1965. She was heard by Brazilian pianist and bandleader Sérgio Mendes, who was on tour in Chicago. He first heard her perform at a benefit at Mother Blue’s, another club in Old Town. His group, Brasil ’65 was disbanding, and he invited Hall to come to Los Angeles to be the lead singer of his new project, Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66. She agreed, and six months later the group signed a contract with A&M Records.
Unlike the previous incarnation, Brasil ’66 was an instant success – making a significant impact on the charts with its first single, a version of the Brazilian song “Mas Que Nada”. Much of the song’s appeal was due to Hall’s distinctive, multi-tracked vocals and Herb Alpert’s expertise as producer.[2]
A series of popular interpretations followed, including their take on The Beatles’ “The Fool on the Hill” and “Day Tripper”. The band was the opening act that toured alongside A&M label mates (and label founder) Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass in 1966. Mid-way through the production of the folk-rock concept album Stillness she left Brasil ’66 in 1971, and was replaced by Mendes’s wife Gracinha Leporace. In December 1973, Hall married Herb Alpert at their Malibu home.
With Alpert assuming production duties, Hall embarked on a solo career, beginning with 1972’s Sun Down Lady and following up with Hello It’s Me in 1975. She recorded regularly throughout the 70s and 80s, including singing the title song to the James Bond film Never Say Never Again, in 1983, produced by Mendes and Alpert.[3]
Beginning in 1982, Hall recorded several successful Latin pop albums in Spanish, culminating in 1985’s Es Fácil Amar, produced by Albert Hammond, for which she received the Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Performance. [1] Amongst her Spanish hits were “Un Amor Así” and “De Repente El Amor”, duets with José Feliciano and Roberto Carlos [1] respectively; “Para Vivir Así,” which features Herb Alpert on trumpet; and another duet, “Te Quiero Así” with José José (who also began his career with a bossa nova/jazz band). She recorded “Corazón Encadenado” with Camilo Sesto in 1984. Ironically, the vocalist doesn’t speak Spanish. [1]
In the mid-80s, Hall contracted a debilitating case of Epstein–Barr virus and was forced to take a reprieve from performing. [1] She returned in 1998 with the album Brasil Nativo on the Windham Hill label. [1] In 2008, she reunited with Mendes again, performing the song “Dreamer” on his album Encanto, which also featured Herb Alpert on trumpet.
In 2007, she and Alpert put a band together consisting of pianist/composer Bill Cantos, bassist Hussain Jiffry and drummer/percussionist Michael Shapiro, developing new arrangements for jazz standards and Brazilian songs. From then until the present, they have continued to tour, and have released three CDs, Anything Goes in 2009, I Feel You in 2011 and Steppin’ Out in 2013, which won a Grammy Award for both Alpert (artist) and Hall (producer.)
As a young girl, Hall began writing poetry. She started writing short stories in 1982 while on tour in Mexico City. In 2012 she published her book, Emotional Memoirs & Short Stories. Written over the course of more than thirty years, the book contains fiction and nonfiction stories that describe women coping with the vicissitudes of life.[4]
Hall enjoys spending time with her three children and six grandchildren, and she lives with her husband on a vast estate in Malibu, California, where she continues to sing and write.
Selected Discography
Albany Park
A&M Records 1981
Tracks: Take The Money, Who’s That Guy?, I’ll Fall In Love Again, Under The Gun, Bad Love, Jimmy Mack, Here Comes Another Heartache, Are You Cuckoo? & Rio.
Musicians on the Albany Park album: Lani Hall, Mike Piccirillo, Scott Edwards, Bill Cuomo, Ed Greene, Jim Horn, Joel Peskin, Chuck Findley, Robert John, Julia Tillman Waters & Maxine Willard Waters.
Blush
A&M Records 1980
Tracks: Where's Your Angel, In The Dark, Come What May, Love Me Again, No Strings, Ain't Got Nothin' For Me, Wish I Would've Stayed, I Don't Want You To Go & Only You.
Musicians on the Blush album: Lani Hall, Jay Graydon, Tim May, Marty Walsh, David Hungate, Kenny Lewis, John Pierce, Mike Porcaro, John Jarvis, Jeremy Lubbock, Brian Mann, Greg Phillinganes, Bruce Roberts, Randy Waldman, Michael Baird, Gary Ferguson, Gary Mallaber, Harvey Mason, Jeff Porcaro, Raymond Pounds, Paulinho Da Costa, Victor Feldman, Steve Forman, Herb Alpert, Charlie Daniels, Jerry Hey, Kim Hutchcroft, Bill Reichenbach, Steve Varneau, Tommy Funderburk, Tom Kelly, David Lasley, Marcy Levy, Jon Lind, Arno Lucas, Arnold McCuller, Sharon Redd, Alee Willis & Lauren Wood.
Double Or Nothing
A&M Records 1979
Tracks: Nobody Gets This Close To Me, Shot In The Dark, Meni Devol, To The Morning, Sailing Without A Sail, Double Or Nothing, Sunshine After The Rain, To Know, So Long & Magic Garden.
Musicians on the Double Or Nothing album: Lani Hall, Buzz Feiten, Tim May, Chuck Domanico, Jerry Knight, Michael Boddicker, Michael Colombier, Neil Larsen, Peter Donald, Larry Tolbert, Manolo Badrena, Ernie Watts, Jerry Hey, Gary Grant, Bill Reichenbach, Larry Williams, Bill Champlin, Venette Gloud, David Lasley, Arnold McCuller, Bill Quateman & Carmen Twillie.
Sweetbird
A&M Records 1976
Tracks: Send In The Clowns, That’s When Miracles Occur, Early Mornin’ Strangers, Mr. Blue (Misty Blue), Too Many Mornings, At The Ballet, The Moon Is All Alone (Like Me), Dolphins Lullaby & Sweet Bird.
Musicians on the Sweetbird album: Lani Hall, Denis Budimir, Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, Stanley Clarke, Chuck Domanico, Michael Boddicker, Michel Colombier, Jim Keltner, Milt Holland & Herb Alpert.
Hello It´s Me
A&M Records 1975
Tracks: Hello It's Me, Peace In The Valley, Time Will Tell, Banquet, Wheelers And Dealers, Happy Woman, Exclusively For Me, Save The Sunlight, Sweet Jams And Jellies & Corrida De Jangada.
Musicians on the Hello It´s Me album: Lani Hall, Steve Schaeffer, Mark Stevens, Jim Gordon, Nick Ceroli, John Pisano, Larry Carlton, Papito Hernandez, Jim Hughart, Wilton Felder, Ernie McDaniels, Clarence McDonald, Dave Frishberg, Mike Melvoin, Herb Alpert, Michel Colombier, Vince Charles, Bob Findley & Bob Edmondson.