Curtis Lee Popps Sr.

Curtis Lee Popps, Sr. was known as many things to many people. He was a loved one, a friend, someone special and a Doo-Wop Music Legend. To family and friends who knew him best, Curtis will be remembered as a very exceptional person.

He was the son of Jasper and Bernice Popps; he was born in Texarkana, Arkansas and raised in East Los Angeles, California.

As a young boy, Curtis had a number of interests. Like most children, he enjoyed playing and making up games. He was curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Curtis was an active child who took part in little league baseball, basketball and track. He was a Boy Scout and Eagle Scout. In his spare time he liked to play the trumpet, play baseball and sing doo-wop song with his friends. Curtis' memorable achievements included being a member of the Inaugural Class of The Legendary Pico Boys Little League Baseball Team in East Los Angeles, California. However, to Curtis, the most fun to be had was simply playing and spending time with his friends singing.

A typical teenager, Curtis had a fairly happy high school experience at East Los Angeles' famed Abraham Lincoln High School in the late 1950s/early 1960s. He was the Captain of the Varsity Baseball Team and Lead Trumpeter for the Lincoln High School Marching Band. While attending Lincoln, Curtis, along with a few classmates and a couple other neighborhood friends from the "Ramona Gardens" & the "Estrada Courts" Housing Projects founded the now legendary Doo-Wop groups, "The Showcases" & "Cannibal and the Headhunters". They sang, rehearsed and performed together throughout East LA and upon Curtis' graduation in 1960, both groups subsequently signed major record deals; "The Showcases" (Galaxy Records) & "Cannibal and the Headhunters" (Rampart Records). "The Showcases" were Curtis Popps, Tommy Johnson, James Hubbard, James Colford, Ulysses Coleman, Thomas Keyes and Bobby Watts (Colford, Keyes & Watts eventually leaving the group before being signed by Galaxy). "Cannibal and the Headhunters" were Francisco "Cannibal" Garcia (Curtis' childhood best friend & Godbrother), Robert "Rabbit" Jaramillo (Curtis' best friend until his death), Richard "Scar" Lopez and JoJo Jaramillo (They're famously known for their 1965 Billboard hit single "Land of 1,000 Dances". The B-Side song of their hit single was "I'll Show You How To Love Me", co-written, composed & arranged by Curtis Popps.)

With their newfound success, both groups began to play sold out shows all throughout the Los Angeles area. Curtis was able to manage the balancing act of a burgeoning singing career and taking college courses (quite possibly to avoid the Vietnam draft) at East Los Angeles College. Curtis’ other interests in college included playing trumpet in the East Los Angeles College Marching Band, Cosmetology (grooming all his band members) and the star 2nd baseman for the ELC Baseball Team. During his time on the baseball team, he was scouted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Curtis earned his Associates Degree in Nursing from East Los Angles College in 1962 as his Doo-Wop group, "The Showcases" were completing their debut album and prepping for their promo tour. In 1963, months before the release of The Showcases' first singles ("Anna My Love" & "This Love Was Real"), Curtis was offered a spot on the Dodgers Minor League Baseball Team but was unfortunately drafted into the US Army.

Curtis was an Army Veteran. He was in the Army’s First Air Mobile Division 132nd Assault Support Helicopter Company (1st Calvary Division). Curtis saw action for two years during the Vietnam War. Curtis was part of the 1st fully committed division deployed into the Vietnam War. Through his hard work, he achieved the rank of Specialist (SPC). He received several awards recognizing him for his service, including a Vietnam Service Medal & Expert Rifle Marksmanship Medal. His fellow soldiers viewed him as a brother in arms and knew that he was as much a part of their family as their loved ones back home.

Upon is return home from Vietnam, Curtis worked diligently and did his best to succeed in his career. He continued to pursue his music dreams working as a professional Musician, Songwriter, Composer helping craft hits with his childhood friends ("Cannibal and the Headhunters", "Zulu and the Warriors", "The Romancers", "The Young Hearts") who all went on to have great musical success while he was in Vietnam. Curtis' primary occupation was a Registered Psychiatric Nurse for the Veterans Administration Hospital. He was employed for 30 years by the VA Hospital in Westwood, California.

On September 18, 1972 Curtis exchanged wedding vows with Penny Willa Lee Williamson-Armant at the home of Dr. John and Winnie Palmer of View Park, California. Empathic and loyal, Curtis was committed to making his new family happy.

Curtis worked hard to be a good father to his children and he did his best to fulfill their needs. Curtis was blessed with 11 children, Curtis Lee Popps, Jr. (Son), Penny Nixia Bernice Popps (Daughter), Tommy Lee Jasper Popps (Son), Robin Armant (Daughter-Deceased), Jerome M. Armant, Jr. (Son-Deceased), Toni-Rena Armant (Daughter), Gerane Padilla (Daughter), Monique Armant-Little (Daughter), Tina Armant-Williams (Daughter), Vonda Jade Powell (Daughter), Jay Lamont Armant (Son). Another blessing for Curtis was the gift of fifteen grandchildren Kurtiesa Popps (Granddaughter), Jay Anthony Armant (Grandson), Tadonna Anderson (Granddaughter), Robert Armant (Grandson), Safie Tou Diop (Granddaughter), Quentin Armant (Grandson), Jasmine Armant (Granddaughter), Anthony Mobley (Grandson), Sky Padilla (Granddaughter), Mimique Patton (Granddaughter), Toni Wilkerson (Granddaughter), Lynette Broils (Granddaughter), Latina Williams (Granddaughter), Neesin Williams (Grandson), Jay Lamont Armant, Jr. (Grandson); and a host of great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren as well.

Unfortunately, Curtis' wife Penny passed away in 1986 during Christmas time and he never remarried. Curtis cherished those precious 14 years of marriage until his death.

In the late 1980s, Curtis founded one of Los Angeles' first solely Hip-Hop Music record labels, "LA Rap Records". As "LA Rap Records" first artist, South Central LA's teenage rap sensation, "King Solomon" began to gain notoriety on radio stations across the country, with his underground hits, "Life Is A Circus" & "We Fix NT Party"; he unfortunately fell victim to gang violence. Fortunately, Curtis persevered through it all and was determined to continue his music legacy by mentoring more new artists through his LA Rap 2000 Artist Management company in the late 1990s and continuing to sing with his group, The Showcases, at various Doo-Wop tribute shows.

Throughout his life, Curtis was a doer and was always actively involved in professional and community organizations. Curtis was an active member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), The Doo-Wop Society, The Henderson Writers Group and The UNLV New Horizons Community Concert Band (Trumpet Player). Politically, Curtis was a strong supporter of the Democratic Party having campaigned for Robert F. Kennedy with his then fiancé Penny Williamson-Armant in 1968. Curtis was also a strong supporter of President Barack Obama. Curtis’ faith was important to him. He was a member of Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California for over 50 years. Curtis’ stewardship included participation on various church committees.

Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Curtis was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included the Doo-Wop Living Legend Award.

Curtis enjoyed traveling and time away on vacations. It was a chance for him to renew and relax, to visit new places and experience new things. Favorite vacations included visiting his youngest daughter Penny Popps in Dallas, Texas.

Curtis found pleasure in sports. He enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he had the chance to do so. Tops on his list were baseball, football and college basketball. Curtis also loved dogs and his favorite dog breed was an Australian Shepard.

When Curtis’ retirement finally arrived in 2001, he was well prepared. His new life involved relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada to continue to pursue his musical aspirations. In retirement, he found new pleasure as an avid Collagist, Power Walking and taking Screenwriting & Novel Writing courses at UNLV's School of Continuing Education. Even in retirement, Curtis continued to stay in touch with his old friends performing Doo-Wop Reunion & Revival shows throughout the West Coast. Curtis was active in Las Vegas' soul music scene and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him. His ultimate musical goal was to keep Doo-Wop Music alive…THE SHOWCASES FOREVER!

Simply stated, Curtis was a good and kind person, an individual who will for all time be remembered by his family and friends as being a caring and giving person, someone who was a vital part of their lives. Curtis leaves behind him a legacy of life-long friendships and many cherished memories. Everyone whose life he touched will always remember Curtis Lee Popps Sr.