The rest is history. Rene left school to start the group The Authority, where he was the lead vocalist for seven years. In 1998, Rene and Roger Stevens (of Blind Melon) began to write songs together for the band that became Extra Virgin (including Pat Sansone on bass and keyboards). Extra Virgin lasted about two years before Rene and Rogers moved on, though they have stayed close friends as well as workmates in The Tender Trio.

Finally, Rene focused on his solo career. I Know What I See, his debut EP released in 2003 and produced by bassist Pat Sansone, was a stripped-down acoustic-based collection of four songs that found a following in the triple-A Americana format. In 2005, Rene released One Man's Year, a dark culmination of more than a dozen years of shedding in his own bands and others, and numerous studio assignments.

Rene was finished with music. He went on to pursue an acting career until last year when a dear friend introduced Rene to The Document Room Recording Studios in Malibu, California. He was told he would have a week to himself with the legendary studio tucked away in the hills by the Pacific Ocean. For kicks, he set on to write and record one song per day. In the middle of his genius, he realized he still had writing in him.

With his musical confidence soaring, Rene brought the songs with him to his studio in Williamsburg. People are Just People was finished in two months. The result is a true funk and soul record, completely pure that sonically captures everything he cherished as a teenager.

Into high school, Rene's drumming ability excelled, taking him to the school band and eventually to the All-County Jazz Band. During a competition in senior year, Arnie Lawrence (also a Rockland County resident then) showed up as guest conductor. Impressed by Rene's playing, he encouraged him to audition for the New School program. He found himself in the first wave of students circa 1987 - Popper, Schenkman and the Spin Doctors, Brad Mehldau, Jesse Davis, Chris Carter, and many others.