René Hall
Encyclopedia
René Hall was an American guitarist and music arranger.
He was born in Morgan City, Louisiana
, and first recorded as a banjo player with Joseph Robichaux in New Orleans in 1933. He then worked around the country as a member of the Ernie Fields
Orchestra, before joining Earl Hines
as musical arranger. During the 1940s, he built up a considerable reputation as a session musician in New York, and around 1949 he formed his own sextet, which recorded for the Jubilee, Decca and RCA labels. He also worked as a talent scout for King Records
, discovering Billy Ward and the Dominoes
, the group which included Clyde McPhatter
.
In the mid-1950s he moved to Los Angeles and began doing session work for many West Coast labels, notably Specialty
, Aladdin, and Rendezvous. His stinging guitar was perfect for rock and roll. He worked closely with famed sax player Plas Johnson
and drummer Earl Palmer
, and the trio can be heard together on literally hundreds of R&B and pop recordings during the rock & roll era. Rene Hall was the featured guitarist on tracks like "Dizzy Miss Lizzy
" (Larry Williams
), "Hippy Hippy Shake" (Chan Romero) and "Cinncinnatti Fireball" (Johnny Burnette), as well as on recordings under his own name on Specialty, or as the Rene Hall Orchestra for the Rendezvous Records label on "That's It
" with rock-a-billy artist Babette Bain and on many instrumentals from the late 1950s and early 1960s including the hits by Ernie Fields ("In The Mood", "Chattanooga Choo Choo") and B. Bumble and the Stingers
on Rendezvous Records. He played Danelectro bass on "La Bamba" (Ritchie Valens).
Hall also worked extensively with Sam Cooke
throughout the latter’s career, and was responsible for the arrangements on some of Cooke’s best-known songs. For "A Change Is Gonna Come
" in 1964, Hall devised a dramatic arrangement with a symphonic overture for strings, kettledrum and French horn, separate movements for each of the first three verses, a combination of strings and kettledrum for the bridge, and a concluding crescendo.
He also prepared arrangements for many Motown
artists, such as The Impressions and Marvin Gaye
, including "Let’s Get It On". In 1976 he provided arrangements for Cuba Gooding Sr and conducted the orchestra for Gooding Sr's record. He died in Los Angeles
in February 1988.
He was born in Morgan City, Louisiana
Morgan City, Louisiana
Morgan City is a city in St. Martin and St. Mary parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The population was 12,404 at the 2010 census....
, and first recorded as a banjo player with Joseph Robichaux in New Orleans in 1933. He then worked around the country as a member of the Ernie Fields
Ernie Fields
Ernie Fields was an African American trombonist, pianist, arranger and bandleader. He first became known for leading the Royal Entertainers, which were based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and toured along a circuit stretching from Kansas City, Kansas, to Dallas, Texas.-Early life and career:Fields was born...
Orchestra, before joining Earl Hines
Earl Hines
Earl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, was an American jazz pianist. Hines was one of the most influential figures in the development of modern jazz piano and, according to one source, is "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz".-Early...
as musical arranger. During the 1940s, he built up a considerable reputation as a session musician in New York, and around 1949 he formed his own sextet, which recorded for the Jubilee, Decca and RCA labels. He also worked as a talent scout for King Records
King Records (USA)
King Records is an American record label, started in 1943 by Syd Nathan and originally headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.-History:At first it specialized in country music, at the time still known as "hillbilly music." King advertised, "If it's a King, It's a Hillbilly -- If it's a Hillbilly, it's a...
, discovering Billy Ward and the Dominoes
Billy Ward and the Dominoes
Billy Ward and His Dominoes were an African-American vocal group, one of the best-selling American R&B groups of the 1950s. The team began the careers of both Clyde McPhatter and Jackie Wilson.-Career:Billy Ward Billy Ward and His Dominoes were an African-American vocal group, one of the...
, the group which included Clyde McPhatter
Clyde McPhatter
Clyde McPhatter was an American R&B singer, perhaps the most widely imitated R&B singer of the 1950s and 1960s, making him a key figure in the shaping of doo-wop and R&B. He is best known for his solo hit "A Lover's Question"...
.
In the mid-1950s he moved to Los Angeles and began doing session work for many West Coast labels, notably Specialty
Specialty Records
Specialty Records was an American record label based in Los Angeles. It was originally launched as Juke Box Records in 1946, but later renamed by its owner Art Rupe when he parted company with a couple of his original partners...
, Aladdin, and Rendezvous. His stinging guitar was perfect for rock and roll. He worked closely with famed sax player Plas Johnson
Plas Johnson
Plas John Johnson Jr. is an American soul-jazz and hard bop tenor saxophonist, probably most familiar as the lead on Henry Mancini’s "The Pink Panther Theme"....
and drummer Earl Palmer
Earl Palmer
Earl Cyril Palmer was an American rock & roll and rhythm and blues drummer, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....
, and the trio can be heard together on literally hundreds of R&B and pop recordings during the rock & roll era. Rene Hall was the featured guitarist on tracks like "Dizzy Miss Lizzy
Dizzy Miss Lizzy
"Dizzy, Miss Lizzy" is a song composed and sung by Larry Williams in 1958. It shares many similarities with the Little Richard song "Good Golly Miss Molly".-Cover versions:...
" (Larry Williams
Larry Williams
Larry Williams was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana...
), "Hippy Hippy Shake" (Chan Romero) and "Cinncinnatti Fireball" (Johnny Burnette), as well as on recordings under his own name on Specialty, or as the Rene Hall Orchestra for the Rendezvous Records label on "That's It
That's It
That's It is the 1999 album by Jimmy Ibbotson. He is notable for writing, singing, and playing a variety of instruments on charting songs released by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.-Track listing:#"Try Not To Cry"...
" with rock-a-billy artist Babette Bain and on many instrumentals from the late 1950s and early 1960s including the hits by Ernie Fields ("In The Mood", "Chattanooga Choo Choo") and B. Bumble and the Stingers
B. Bumble and the Stingers
B. Bumble and the Stingers were an American instrumental ensemble in the early 1960s, who specialized in making rock and roll arrangements of classical melodies. Their biggest hits were "Bumble Boogie" and "Nut Rocker", which reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1962...
on Rendezvous Records. He played Danelectro bass on "La Bamba" (Ritchie Valens).
Hall also worked extensively with Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
throughout the latter’s career, and was responsible for the arrangements on some of Cooke’s best-known songs. For "A Change Is Gonna Come
A Change Is Gonna Come (song)
"A Change Is Gonna Come" is a 1964 single by R&B singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, written and first recorded in 1963 and released under the RCA Victor label shortly after his death in late 1964. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, the song came to exemplify the...
" in 1964, Hall devised a dramatic arrangement with a symphonic overture for strings, kettledrum and French horn, separate movements for each of the first three verses, a combination of strings and kettledrum for the bridge, and a concluding crescendo.
He also prepared arrangements for many Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
artists, such as The Impressions and Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, including "Let’s Get It On". In 1976 he provided arrangements for Cuba Gooding Sr and conducted the orchestra for Gooding Sr's record. He died in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in February 1988.