René DeKnight (December 5, 1913 – January 24, 2004) was an American pianist, composer and arranger. He was a member of The Delta Rhythm Boys. He arranged and played on many of their influential work, including "Dry Bones" and "Take The A Train". DeKnight also played with Ella Fitzgerald and later became the arranger and composer for The 5th Dimension. He is the older brother of American visual artist Avel de Knight.

Biography

DeKnight was born in New York City on December 5, 1913. He was a member of the vocal group The Delta Rhythm Boys as a pianist and arranger. They appeared in numerous films, including '' So's Your Uncle'' (1943), ''Crazy House'' (1943), '' Hi, Good Lookin'!'' (1944), '' Follow the Boys'' (1944), and ''

Easy to Look At ''Easy to Look At'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Henry Blankfort. The film stars Gloria Jean, Kirby Grant, J. Edward Bromberg, Eric Blore, George Dolenz, and Mildred Law. The film was released on August 10, ...

'' (1945). In 1945, the group appeared in the Broadway musical ''Memphis Bound!''. DeKnight also wrote songs for the group and backed Ella Fitzgerald on piano. In 1940, DeKnight married Freda Alexander who became ''Ebony'' magazine's first food editor in 1944, and later as the fashion editor she staged the first ''Ebony'' Fashion Fair in 1957. In 1962, DeKnight took and 8-week leave from The Delta Rhythm Boys to travel to Hawaii and Japan where his wife selected fashions for the 1962 production of the ''Ebony'' Fashion Fair. His wife died in 1963 from cancer. Later in 1963, DeKnight married jazz singer

Sallie Blair Sallie Blair (1934 – February 17, 1992) was an American jazz singer. She began her career performing as a band act with Johnny Otis and Duke Ellington before joining Cab Calloway's Cotton Club Revue. Blair recorded for Bethlehem, MGM, Scepte ...

in Honolulu where he was heading his own trio. He was later married to a woman named Marie. DeKnight became the music arranger and conductor for The 5th Dimension in 1966. He played a major part in shaping the groups sound by adding jazz elements to their music. DeKnight died at the age of 90 in Cameron Park, California on January 24, 2004.

References

External links

Rene DeKnight
on AllMusic * {{DEFAULTSORT:DeKight, René 1913 births 2004 deaths Jazz musicians from New York (state) Musicians from New York City African-American jazz pianists 20th-century American pianists Rhythm and blues pianists 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American people