Leon René

Leon René (February 6, 1902 – May 30, 1982) was an American music composer of pop, R&B and rock and roll songs and a record producer in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. He sometimes used the songwriting pseudonym Jimmy Thomas or Jimmie Thomas. He also established several record labels.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 6, 1902 (Covington), Died May 30, 1982 (Los Angeles)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter, composer, lyricist, director, piano

Notes: Brother of Otis René. Sometimes credited as Jimmie Thomas.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	PBVE-68382	10-in.	8/19/1932	I'm Mr. African	Leon René Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	instrumentalist, piano, director, songwriter
Victor	PBVE-68383	10-in.	8/19/1932	My home	Leon René Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter, director, instrumentalist, piano
Victor	PBVE-68391	10-in.	9/17/1932	I'm gonna pack my grip	Leon René Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	BVE-70611	10-in.	10/4/1931	When it's sleepy time down South	Mildred Bailey ; King's Jesters ; Paul Whiteman Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo and male vocal trio	songwriter
Victor	BS-74820	10-in.	12/8/1932	That's my home	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with trumpet solo and male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	CS-74878	12-in.	12/21/1932	Medley of Armstrong hits	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and trumpet solo	songwriter
Victor	LBS-74879	10-in. (33-1/3 rpm)	12/21/1932	Medley of Armstrong hits	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and trumpet solo	songwriter
Victor	PBS-97206	10-in.	12/31/1935	Dusty road	Nelson Eddy ; Nathaniel Shilkret	Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra	songwriter
Victor	PBVE-1306	10-in.	10/14/1931	Sleepy time down South	Phil Harris	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	songwriter
Victor	PBS-09577	10-in.	7/7/1937	When it's sleepy time down South	Benny Goodman Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	songwriter
Victor	BS-022118	10-in.	4/4/1938	Sleepy time down South	Vernon Geyer ; Bill Radebaugh	Organ solo, with piano, vibraphone, and male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	BS-047360	10-in.	3/4/1940	When it's sleepy time down South	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and trumpet solo	songwriter
Victor	BS-050844	10-in.	5/22/1940	When the swallows come back to Capistrano	Larry Clinton Orchestra ; Helen Southern	Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo	composer, lyricist
Victor	BS-050881	10-in.	5/27/1940	When the swallows come back to Capistrano	Dinah Shore ; Xavier Cugat Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo	composer, lyricist
Victor	BS-050892	10-in.	5/29/1940	When the swallows come back to Capistrano	Dick Todd	Male vocal solo, with male vocal trio and jazz/dance band	composer
Victor	BS-053130	10-in.	6/13/1940	When the swallows come back to Capistrano	Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	composer, lyricist
Victor	BS-057051	10-in.	10/29/1940	Chapel in the valley	Kenny Baker	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	songwriter
Victor	BS-058807	10-in.	12/27/1940	Chapel in the valley	Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra	Jazz/dance band with male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	PBS-061927	10-in.	11/24/1941	Someone's rocking my dreamboat	Four King Sisters ; Rhythm Reys	Female vocal quartet, with jazz/dance band	songwriter
Victor	PBS-061954	10-in.	12/10/1941	Someone's rocking my dreamboat	Eddie Beal Trio ; Four Tones	Vocal quartet, with jazz/dance trio	songwriter
Victor	PBS-061955	10-in.	12/10/1941	Goodnight baby, goodnight	Eddie Beal Trio ; Four Tones	Vocal quartet, with jazz/dance trio	composer
Victor	BS-063825	10-in.	4/28/1941	When it's sleepy time down South	Sidney Bechet ; New Orleans Feetwarmers	Jazz/dance band	songwriter
Victor	BS-067546	10-in.	8/8/1941	Someone's rocking my dream boat	Erskine Hawkins Orchestra ; Jimmy Mitchell	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	BS-068801	10-in.	12/23/1941	Someone's rocking my dreamboat	Ken Curtis ; Shep Fields ; New Music [Shep Fields]	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	BS-068805	10-in.	12/23/1941	Someone's rocking my dreamboat	Artie Shaw Orchestra ; Paula Kelly	Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo	songwriter
Victor	D7VB-0644	10-in.	3/11/1947	I sold my heart to the junkman	Etta Jones	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	songwriter
Columbia	W144763	10-in.	10/14/1927	In my dreams (I'm jealous of you)	Dixieland Blue Blowers ; Curtis Mosby ; Henry Starr	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Columbia	W147817	10-in.	1/21/1929	Between you and me (And the deep blue sea)	Dixieland Blue Blowers ; Curtis Mosby	Jazz/dance band	composer
Columbia	W151803	10-in.	9/21/1931	When it's sleepy time down south	Ipana Troubadours ; Sam Lanin	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Columbia	W351105	10-in.	9/22/1931	When it's sleepy time down South	Phil Hughes and his High Hatters [Selvin's Orchestra]	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
OKeh	W404424	10-in.	4/20/1931	When it's sleepy time down South	Louis Armstrong Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Brunswick	E37160	10-in.	9/15/1931	When it’s sleepy time down South	Mildred Bailey ; Casa Loma Orchestra	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	songwriter
Brunswick	E37173	10-in.	9/24/1931	When it’s sleepy time down South	Snooks Hotel Paramount Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Brunswick	E37328	10-in.	10/26/1931	When it’s sleepytime down South	Artie Dunn ; Les Reis	Male vocal duet, with piano and accordion	songwriter
Brunswick	C7916	10-in.	7/27/1931	When it’s sleepy time down South	Jimmie Noone Orchestra	Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo	songwriter
Brunswick	LAE10	10-in.	Dec. 1927	In my dreams (I’m jealous of you)	Sonny Clay Orchestra	Jazz/dance band	songwriter
Brunswick	[Br cat 16341-a]	10-in.	approximately Aug. 1931	When it’s sleepy-time down South	Dixie Serenaders [Sonny Clay Orchestra]	Jazz/dance band, with vocal	songwriter

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "René, Leon," accessed November 5, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109840.

René, Leon. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 5, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/109840.

"René, Leon." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 5 November 2024.