Leon René (February 6, 1902 – May 30, 1982) was an American music composer of

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

, R&B and

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

songs and a record producer in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. He sometimes used the songwriting

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

Jimmy Thomas or Jimmie Thomas. He also established several

record labels A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

History

Born in

Covington, Louisiana Covington is a city in, and the parish seat of, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 11,564 at the 2020 United States census. It is located at a fork of the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte River. Covington is par ...

, he is best known for his hit song " When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano". The song, written as a tribute to the annual springtime return of the

cliff swallow The cliff swallow or American cliff swallow (''Petrochelidon pyrrhonota'') is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins. The generic name ''Petrochelidon'' is derived from Ancient Greek ''petros'' meaning "roc ...

s to

Mission San Juan Capistrano Mission San Juan Capistrano ( es, Misión San Juan Capistrano) is a Spanish missions in California, Spanish mission in San Juan Capistrano, California, San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California, Orange County, California. Founded November 1 ...

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban ...

, spent several weeks at the top of ''

Your Hit Parade ''Your Hit Parade'' was an American radio and television music program that was broadcast from 1935 to 1953 on radio, and seen from 1950 to 1959 on television. It was sponsored by American Tobacco's Lucky Strike cigarettes. During its 24-year ru ...

'' charts during its initial release in 1940. The lyrics say: The song has been recorded by such musicians as

The Ink Spots The Ink Spots were an American pop vocal group who gained international fame in the 1930s and 1940s. Their unique musical style presaged the rhythm and blues and rock and roll musical genres, and the subgenre doo-wop. The Ink Spots were widely a ...

Fred Waring Fredrick Malcolm Waring Sr. (June 9, 1900 – July 29, 1984) was an American musician, bandleader, and radio and television personality, sometimes referred to as "America's Singing Master" and "The Man Who Taught America How to Sing". He was also ...

Guy Lombardo Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo (June 19, 1902 – November 5, 1977) was an Italian-Canadian-American bandleader, violinist, and hydroplane racer. Lombardo formed the Royal Canadians in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert and Victor, and oth ...

, and

Glenn Miller Alton Glen Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band founder, owner, conductor, composer, arranger, trombone player and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Arm ...

. A glassed-off room in the mission has been designated in René's honor and displays the upright piano on which he composed the tune, the reception desk from his office and several copies of the song's sheet music and other pieces of furniture, all donated by René's family. René's other works included "

When It's Sleepy Time Down South "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", also known as "Sleepy Time Down South", is a 1931 jazz song written by Clarence Muse, Leon René and Otis René. It was sung in the 1931 movie ''Safe in Hell'' by Nina Mae McKinney, and became the signature s ...

" (with

Clarence Muse Clarence Muse (October 14, 1889 – October 13, 1979) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, singer, and composer. He was the first African American to appear in a starring role in a film, 1929's '' Hearts in Dixie''. He acted for ...

and brother Otis René), "

Gloria Gloria may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music * Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise * Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise ** Gloria (Handel) ** Gloria (Jenkin ...

", and such Pop staples as "

I Sold My Heart to the Junkman '"I Sold My Heart to the Junkman"' is a 1946 recording by The Basin Street Boys featuring Ormonde Wilson, written by Leon René, under the songwriting pseudonym of Jimmie Thomas. It was released on the Exclusive Records label in 1946. It was c ...

", " Rockin' Robin", and " Boogie Woogie Santa Claus".

Labels

During the 1940s, with his brother and songwriting partner, Otis René, Leon René established and ran the independent

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a Music genre, genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed p ...

labels

Exclusive Records Exclusive Records was a record label established by Leon René, which existed from 1944 to 1950. History Exclusive Records was established by Leon René in Los Angeles in 1944 and ceased operations in January 1950. Buddy Baker was the music dire ...

and Excelsior Records. Otis was responsible for any publicly identified with Excelsior Records, while Leon was identified with Exclusive Records. They had purchased their own record plant, but when the format changed from 78 rpm to 45rpm, they could not press the new speed, and the labels went out of business. Otis René's Excelsior label existed from 1944 to 1951. Leon René's Exclusive Records existed from 1944 to 1950. Artists on Exclusive Records included "Frantic" Fay Thomas, the

Buddy Baker Elzie Wylie "Buddy" Baker Jr. (January 25, 1941 – August 10, 2015) was an American professional stock car racing driver and commentator. Over the course of his 33-year racing career, he won 19 races in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the 19 ...

Sextet,

Joe Liggins Joseph Christopher Liggins, Jr. (born Theodro Elliott; July 9, 1916 – July 26, 1987) was an American R&B, jazz and blues pianist and vocalist who led Joe Liggins and his Honeydrippers in the 1940s and 1950s. His band appeared often on the '' ...

and

Johnny Moore's Three Blazers Johnny Moore's Three Blazers was a popular American vocal group in the 1940s and 1950s. The original members were: *Johnny Moore (John Dudley Moore, October 20, 1906, Austin, Texas – January 6, 1969, Los Angeles, California); * Charles ...

. Leon René then set up Class Records in 1951, with his son, Rafael "Googie" René and

Preston Love Preston Haynes Love (April 26, 1921 – February 12, 2004) was an American saxophonist, bandleader, and songwriter from Omaha, Nebraska, United States, best known as a sideman for jazz and rhythm and blues artists like Count Basie and Ray Char ...

. René then issued successful recordings by his son, plus Oscar McLollie and

Bobby Day Robert James Byrd (July 1, 1930 – July 27, 1990), known by the stage name Bobby Day, was an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, and songwriter. He is best known for his hit record " Rockin' Robin", written by Leon René un ...

. Day also recorded as

Bobby Byrd Bobby Howard Byrd (August 15, 1934 – September 12, 2007) was an American rhythm and blues, soul and funk singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, bandleader and talent scout, who played an integral and important part in the developme ...

of The Hollywood Flames and Bob & Earl. In 1958, he set up the Rendezvous Record Company, which produced hits by B. Bumble and the Stingers, until it folded in 1963. René died in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

, at the age of 80. He was the grandfather of former ''X Factor'' contestant

Chris Rene Christopher Rene (previously René; born December 25, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and producer. He was in a band called Diversion and also had a solo career, releasing the album ''Soul'd Out''. Chris auditioned for the fi ...

"Boogie Woogie Santa Claus"

"Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" is a song written by René. The song was recorded with

Mabel Scott Mabel Bernice Scott (April 30, 1915 – July 20, 2000) was an American gospel music and R&B vocalist. She lived in New York and Cleveland before arriving on the West Coast blues scene in 1942. Mabel is probably remembered more for her 1948 hi ...

in late 1947 for Supreme Records and placed within the top 15 of ''Billboard's''

Race Records Race records were 78-rpm phonograph records marketed to African Americans between the 1920s and 1940s.Oliver, Paul. "Race record." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. 13 Feb. 2015. They primarily contained race music, comprising various A ...

chart.

Patti Page Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), known professionally as Patti Page, was an American singer and actress. Primarily known for pop and country music, she was the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female ar ...

covered the song in 1950 to little attention, but its B-side, "

Tennessee Waltz "Tennessee Waltz" is a popular country music song with lyrics by Redd Stewart and music by Pee Wee King written in 1946 and first released in January 1948. The song became a multimillion seller via a 1950 recording – as "The Tennessee Waltz" ...

", became a #1 hit in the United States and is one of her best-known works.

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charle ...

and His Orchestra also released a version in 1950 with Sonny Parker on vocals. It has since been recorded by many other artists, including

The Brian Setzer Orchestra The Brian Setzer Orchestra (sometimes known by its initials BSO) is a swing and jump blues band formed in 1990 by Stray Cats frontman Brian Setzer. In 1998, for their breakout album ''The Dirty Boogie'', the group covered Louis Prima's " Jump ...

for their 2002 album '' Boogie Woogie Christmas'' and

Colin James Colin James (born Colin James Munn, August 17, 1964) is a Canadian rock and blues singer and songwriter. Biography Early years James was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. His grandpa was Serbian. He got his break opening for Stevie Ray ...

for 2007's '' Colin James & The Little Big Band: Christmas''.

Compositions (selective)

*" When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano" *"

" (with Clarence Muse and brother Otis René) *"

" *"

" *" Rockin' Robin" *" Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" *"I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City" *"Sweet Lucy Brown" *"That's My Home" *"Beyond The Stars" *" Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat" *"I'm Lost" *"Near To You" (Recorded by The Basin Street Boys) *"Summertime Gal" *"If Money Grew On Trees"

References

External links

* *
Class/Rendezvous Labels Album Discography
— the recording company formed by René in Los Angeles in late 1951
Back to the 50s with Leon René
— interview with Leon René {{DEFAULTSORT:Rene, Leon 1902 births 1982 deaths People from Covington, Louisiana American male composers Songwriters from Louisiana 20th-century American composers 20th-century American male musicians African-American songwriters 20th-century African-American musicians American male songwriters