René Hall
Background information
Birth name	René Joseph Hall
Born	(1912-09-26)September 26, 1912 Morgan City, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	February 11, 1988(1988-02-11) (aged 75) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Soul, rock
Occupation(s)	Musician,composer,arranger
Instrument	Guitar
Formerly of	Billy Ward and his Dominoes Sam Cooke Bobby Womack

René Joseph Hall (September 26, 1912 – February 11, 1988)^[1] was an American guitarist andarranger. He was among the most important behind-the-scenes figures in earlyrock and roll, but his career spanned the period from the late 1920s to the late 1980s, and encompassed multiple musical styles.

Born inMorgan City, Louisiana, René Hall first recorded in 1933 as abanjo player withJoseph Robichaux inNew Orleans. He then worked around the country as a member of theErnie Fields Orchestra, with whom he made his earliest recordings. In the group he was known by the nicknameLightnin'.^[2] Later he joinedEarl Hines as musical arranger. During the 1940s he built up a considerable reputation as a session musician inNew York City. In the late 1940s, he formed his own sextet which recorded for various labels includingJubilee, Decca, and RCA. He also worked as atalent scout forKing Records, discovering such acts asBilly Ward and the Dominoes.

In the mid-1950s, Hall moved toLos Angeles,California, and began doing session work withsaxophone player,Plas Johnson, anddrummer,Earl Palmer. The trio recorded for many of the emerging rock and roll and R&B artists on such labels as Aladdin,Rendezvous, andSpecialty Records. In 1958, he pioneered the usage of aDanelectro 6-string bass guitar as a supplement to standup bass on recording sessions withRitchie 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 asB. Bumble & The Stingers hit "Nut Rocker", surf-rock groupThe Marketts ("Surfer's Stomp"), andThe 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 thebig 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 arrangedIke & Tina Turner's 1963 albumDon't Play Me Cheap. He also arranged some ofSam 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 forstrings,kettledrum, andFrench horn. He prepared arrangements for many successful artists includingThe Impressions andMarvin Gaye. He also played guitar onMarvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" and did a lot of work forBobby Womack.

René Hall died of heart disease in Los Angeles, California at the age of 75.^[4]

• 1952: René Hall – "Let's Turn The Lights Down Low" / "Must I" (RCA Victor 4881)
• 1957: René Hall's Orchestra Featuring Willie Joe / René Hall's Orchestra – "Twitchy" / "Flippin'" (Specialty 618)
• 1958: René Hall's Orchestra – "Saints Go Marchin' In" / "Thunderbird" (Specialty 629)
• 1958: René Hall's Orchestra – "Frankie And Johnny" / "Cleo" (Specialty 641)
• 1959: René Hall – "Smitty's Toy Piano" / "South Gate" (Arvee A 580)
• 1959: René 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: René Hall Orchestra – "La Cubalibra" / "The Untouchables" (Del-Fi 4135)
• René Hall Orchestra – "Night Fright" / "Turf" (Castil 101)

• Rockin' With Robbin -Bobby Day (Class, 1959)
• Twistin' the Night Away -Sam Cooke (RCA Victor, 1962)
• Night Beat - Sam Cooke (RCA Victor, 1963)
• All I Really Want to Do -Cher (Imperial, 1965)
• Venice Blue -Bobby Darin (Capitol, 1965)
• Together Again -Ray Charles (ABC, 1965)
• Crying Time - Ray Charles (ABC, 1966)
• Ray Charles Invites You to Listen - Ray Charles (ABC, 1967)

• René Hall atAllMusic
• René Hall discography atDiscogs

• American music arrangers
• Jubilee Records artists
• RCA Victor artists
• Decca Records artists
• Specialty Records artists
• 1912 births
• 1988 deaths
• People from Morgan City, Louisiana
• 20th-century American musicians
• African-American male guitarists
• Musicians from Louisiana
• 20th-century American male musicians
• 20th-century African-American musicians
• The Wrecking Crew (music) members

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