Henri Rene and his Orchestra
Henri René, born Harold Manfred Kirchstein on December 29, 1906, in New York City, was an influential American musician known for his work as a conductor, composer, arranger, and record producer. With a German father and a French mother, René moved to Germany in his youth to study at the Royal Berlin Academy of Music. He returned to the United States in the mid-1920s, performing with various orchestras before going back to Berlin to work in the film industry and with a German record label.
In 1936, René returned to the U.S., becoming the musical director and chief arranger for RCA Victor, and formed his own orchestra in 1941. He played several instruments, including the piano, saxophone, and musette accordion. René was known for his recordings of "Beer Barrel Polka" and other successful records like "Cuckoo Waltz" and "Waltzing on the Kalamazoo." After serving in World War II, he continued his work with RCA Victor, recording the closing theme for the show What's My Line? and producing music for artists such as Harry Belafonte and Eartha Kitt.
René released several LPs in the mid-1950s, which were considered early examples of the space-age pop aesthetic. He left RCA Victor in 1959 to pursue freelance work. For his contributions to the music industry, René was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He passed away on April 25, 1993, in Houston, Texas.
App
