René DeKnight
{{Infobox musical artist
| birth_name = Edgadito De Knight
| name = René DeKnight
| birth_date = December 5, 1913
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|1|24|1913|12|05}}
| birth_place = New York, Nork, U.S.
| death_place = Cameron Park, California, U.S.
| past_member_of = *The Delta Rhythm Boys
}}
René DeKnight (December 5, 1913 – January 24, 2004) was an American pianist, composer and arranger. He was a member of The Delta Rhythm Boys.{{Cite journal|date=January 2, 1964|title=DeKnight Wedding|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HcIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=sallie+blair+Rene+DeKnight&pg=PA41|journal=Jet|pages=41}} 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.{{Cite journal|date=October 1967|title=The 5th Dimension|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XXun934ThxwC&dq=Rene+DeKnight&pg=PA152|journal=Ebony|pages=153–154}} He is the older brother of American visual artist Avel de Knight.
Biography
DeKnight was born in New York City on December 5, 1913.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eK8JAQAAMAAJ&q=rene+DeKnight|title=Living Blues|date=2004|publisher=Center for the Study of Southern Culture, The University of Mississippi|pages=91|language=en}}
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 (1945).{{Cite book|last=Dick|first=Bernard F.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O6kfBgAAQBAJ&dq=Hey%2C+Good+Lookin%27%21+the+delta+rhythm+boys&pg=PA144|title=City of Dreams: The Making and Remaking of Universal Pictures|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|year=2015|isbn=978-0-8131-5889-1|pages=144|language=en}} In 1945, the group appeared in the Broadway musical Memphis Bound!.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/rene-deknight-410489|title=Rene deKnight – Credits|website=IBDB|access-date=2020-02-24}} 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.{{Cite journal|last=Barrow|first=William|date=August 1963|title=The Late Freda DeKinght: Tribute to a Lady Titan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZDoDAAAAMBAJ&dq=obituary+freda+deknight&pg=PA32|journal=Negro Digest|pages=30–34}}{{Cite journal|date=February 14, 1962|title=Hold Last Rites For Fashion, Food Expert Freda DeKnight|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7bsDAAAAMBAJ&dq=Rene+DeKnight+jet&pg=PA40|journal=Jet|pages=40–41}} 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.{{Cite journal|date=March 1, 1962|title=Travelogue|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=47MDAAAAMBAJ&dq=rene+deknight+jet&pg=PA41|journal=Jet|pages=41}} His wife died in 1963 from cancer. Later in 1963, DeKnight married jazz singer Sallie Blair in Honolulu where he was heading his own trio.{{Cite news|last=Sherman|first=Eddie|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11644845/the_honolulu_advertiser/|title=Peek-A-Boo|date=December 3, 1963|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|via=Newspapers.com}} He was later married to a woman named Marie.{{Cite web|url=https://www.international-club-andorra.com/in-memoriam-international-club-andorra/hommage-to-rene-deknight/|title=Homage to René DeKnight|website=International Club of Andorra|access-date=2020-02-25}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19940918-1994-09-18-9409160229-story.html|title=Enter The 5th Dimension|last=Nicholson|first=David|website=The Daily Press|language=en-US}}
DeKnight died at the age of 90 in Cameron Park, California on January 24, 2004.
References
External links
- [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rene-deknight-mn0001184638 Rene DeKnight] on AllMusic
- {{IMDb name|0215298|Rene DeKnight}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:DeKight, René}}
Category:Jazz musicians from New York (state)
Category:Musicians from New York City
Category:African-American jazz pianists
Category:20th-century American pianists
Category:Rhythm and blues pianists