Although often overlooked, songwriter Leon René was an important figure in R n' B/early rock n' roll, as he helped shape the West Coast R n' B sound during the '50s. Born on February 6, 1902 in Covington, Los Angeles, René (along with his brother, Leon) was the head of one of the earliest black independent labels on America's West Coast, Exclusive and Excelsior Records. The label later changed its ...more

Plus