René Joseph Hall (September26, 1912 – February11, 1988)[1] was an American guitarist and arranger. He was among the most important behind-the-scenes figures in early rock and roll, but his career spanned the period from the late 1920s to the late 1980s, and encompassed multiple musical styles.
Born in Morgan City, Louisiana, René Hall first recorded in 1933 as a banjo player with Joseph Robichaux in New Orleans. He then worked around the country as a member of the Ernie Fields Orchestra, with whom he made his earliest recordings. In the group he was known by the nickname Lightnin' .[2] Later he joined Earl Hines as musical arranger. During the 1940s he built up a considerable reputation as a session musician in New York City. In the late 1940s, he formed his own sextet which recorded for various labels including Jubilee, Decca, and RCA. He also worked as a talent scout for King Records, discovering such acts as Billy Ward and the Dominoes.
In the mid-1950s, Hall moved to Los Angeles, California, and began doing session work with saxophone player, Plas Johnson, and drummer, Earl Palmer. The trio recorded for many of the emerging rock and roll and R&B artists on such labels as Aladdin, Rendezvous, and Specialty Records. In 1958, he pioneered the usage of a Danelectro 6-string bass guitar as a supplement to standup bass on recording sessions with Ritchie Valens and others. This approach was widely imitated by arrangers all over the world.[3]
Hall was a virtual one-man dynasty on the West Coast from the mid-1950s through the early 1970s, organizing such studio concoctions as B. Bumble & The Stingers hit "Nut Rocker", surf-rock group The Marketts (“Surfer’s Stomp”), and The Routers of “Let’s Go” fame. All featured Hall, Palmer and Johnson, but were then promoted by young white groups who performed the songs on tour. He gave his former employer Ernie Fields an unlikely rock hit with a version of the big band standard, "In The Mood", which reached #4 in Billboard during 1959. When Hall, Palmer, and Johnson did not want to issue it under their own names and tour behind it, they gave it to Fields, who then did join them in the studio for a follow-up hit.
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Rene Hall news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message Rene Joseph Hall September 26 1912 February 11 1988 1 was an American guitarist and arranger He was among the most important behind the scenes figures in early rock and roll but his career spanned the period from the late 1920s to the late 1980s and encompassed multiple musical styles Rene HallBackground informationBirth nameRene Joseph HallBorn 1912 09 26 September 26 1912Morgan City Louisiana U S DiedFebruary 11 1988 1988 02 11 aged 75 Los Angeles California U S GenresSoul rockOccupation s Musician composer arrangerInstrument s Guitar Contents 1 Biography 2 Discography 2 1 Singles 2 2 Work with other artists 3 Collaborations 4 References 5 External linksBiography editBorn in Morgan City Louisiana Rene Hall first recorded in 1933 as a banjo player with Joseph Robichaux in New Orleans He then worked around the country as a member of the Ernie Fields Orchestra with whom he made his earliest recordings In the group he was known by the nickname Lightnin 2 Later he joined Earl Hines as musical arranger During the 1940s he built up a considerable reputation as a session musician in New York City In the late 1940s he formed his own sextet which recorded for various labels including Jubilee Decca and RCA He also worked as a talent scout for King Records discovering such acts as Billy Ward and the Dominoes In the mid 1950s Hall moved to Los Angeles California and began doing session work with saxophone player Plas Johnson and drummer Earl Palmer The trio recorded for many of the emerging rock and roll and R amp B artists on such labels as Aladdin Rendezvous and Specialty Records In 1958 he pioneered the usage of a Danelectro 6 string bass guitar as a supplement to standup bass on recording sessions with Ritchie Valens and others This approach was widely imitated by arrangers all over the world 3 Hall was a virtual one man dynasty on the West Coast from the mid 1950s through the early 1970s organizing such studio concoctions as B Bumble amp The Stingers hit Nut Rocker surf rock group The Marketts Surfer s Stomp and The Routers of Let s Go fame All featured Hall Palmer and Johnson but were then promoted by young white groups who performed the songs on tour He gave his former employer Ernie Fields an unlikely rock hit with a version of the big band standard In The Mood which reached 4 in Billboard during 1959 When Hall Palmer and Johnson did not want to issue it under their own names and tour behind it they gave it to Fields who then did join them in the studio for a follow up hit Hall arranged Ike amp Tina Turner s 1963 album Don t Play Me Cheap He also arranged some of Sam Cooke s best known recordings including the 1964 song A Change Is Gonna Come in which Hall devised a dramatic arrangement with a symphonic overture for strings kettledrum and French horn He prepared arrangements for many successful artists including The Impressions and Marvin Gaye He also played guitar on Marvin Gaye s Let s Get It On and did a lot of work for Bobby Womack Rene Hall died of heart disease in Los Angeles California at the age of 75 4 Discography editSingles edit 1952 Rene Hall Let s Turn The Lights Down Low Must I RCA Victor 4881 1957 Rene Hall s Orchestra Featuring Willie Joe Rene Hall s Orchestra Twitchy Flippin Specialty 618 1958 Rene Hall s Orchestra Saints Go Marchin In Thunderbird Specialty 629 1958 Rene Hall s Orchestra Frankie And Johnny Cleo Specialty 641 1959 Rene Hall Smitty s Toy Piano South Gate Arvee A 580 1959 Rene Hall And His Guitars Moritat Adalene Rendezvous No 107 1959 The Skunks And Rene Hall Rene Hall Smitty s Xmas Toy Piano Smitty s Toy Piano Arvee A 585 1960 Rene Hall Orchestra La Cubalibra The Untouchables Del Fi 4135 Rene Hall Orchestra Night Fright Turf Castil 101 Work with other artists edit Artist Date Song title Peak chart position Hall s role The Dominoes 5 1951 Sixty Minute Man 17 1 R amp B chart Guitar arranger Don and Dewey 6 1957 Sweet Talk Farmer John take 1 Just a Little Lovin The Letter Leader guitar Larry Williams 7 1957 Short Fat Fannie 5 Guitar Larry Williams 7 1957 Bony Moronie 14 Guitar Sam Cooke 8 1957 You Send Meb side Summertime 1 81 Conductor arranger Larry Williams 7 1957 1958 Iko IkoLawdy Miss Clawdy Slow Down Dizzy Miss Lizzy Bad Boy Guitar Ritchie Valens 1958 La Bamba 22 Danelectro arranger Ritchie Valens 1958 Donna 2 Lead guitar amp solo arranger Ritchie Valens 1958 Come On Let s Go Guitar arranger Chan Romero 9 1959 Hippy Hippy Shake Danelectro bass guitar Sam Cooke 8 1957 I Love You For Sentimental Reasons 17 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1957 Desire Me 47 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1957 You Were Made For Me 39 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1958 Win You Love For Me 22 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1959 Only Sixteen 28 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1959 Everybody Loves to Cha Cha Cha 31 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1959 God Bless The Child Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1959 Let s Call The Whole Thing Off Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1959 Ain t Nobody s Business If I Do Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1961 Cupid 17 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1962 Twistin the Night Away 9 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1962 Bring It On Home To Me 13 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1962 Having A Party 17 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1962 Nothing Can Change This Love 12 Arranger guitar The Valentinos 10 1962 Darling Come Back Home I ll Make It Alright I ve Got a Girl Session leader Sam Cooke 1963 Another Saturday Night 10 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1963 Little Red Rooster 11 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1964 Tennessee Waltz 35 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1964 A Change Is Gonna Come Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1964 That s Where It s At 93 Arranger guitar Sam Cooke 1964 Shake Arranger guitar Marvin Gaye 1973 Let s Get It On 1 Arranger and conductor Marvin Gaye 1973 Please Stay Once You Go Away Arranger and conductor Marvin Gaye 1973 If I Should Die Tonight Arranger and conductor Marvin Gaye 1973 Keep Gettin It On Arranger and conductorCollaborations editRockin With Robbin Bobby Day Class 1959 Twistin the Night Away Sam Cooke RCA Victor 1962 Night Beat Sam Cooke RCA Victor 1963 Ain t That Good News Sam Cooke RCA Victor 1964 All I Really Want to Do Cher Imperial 1965 Venice Blue Bobby Darin Capitol 1965 References edit Eagle Bob LeBlanc Eric S 2013 Blues A Regional Experience Santa Barbara Praeger Publishers p 170 ISBN 978 0313344237 Rye Howard 2001 Hall Rene In Sadie Stanley Tyrrell John eds The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd ed London Macmillan Publishers ISBN 978 1 56159 239 5 Who Played On La Bamba Lost amp Sound Retrieved 27 October 2014 Talevski Nick 2010 Rock Obituaries Knocking On Heaven s Door Omnibus Press p 238 ASIN B003FV7G3A Talevski Nick Knocking On Heaven s Door Omnibus Press London 2006 Don amp Dewey Jungle Hop Legends of Speciality Records Speciality Records 1991 liner notes a b c Larry Williams Bad Boy The Legends of Specialty Records Speciality Records 1989 liner notes a b Soulful Detroit SAM COOKE SESSION DATES soulfuldetroit com Ritchie Valens Ritchie Valens in Come On Let s Go Del Fi Records liner notes The Valentinos Lookin For a Love The complete SAR recordings CD ABKCO Music amp Records Inc 2014 liner notesExternal links editRene Hall at AllMusic Rene Hall discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rene Hall amp oldid 1215130917, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
