Wikipedia:
Harold M. Kirchstein / Henri René (b. December 29, 1906 in New York City as Harold Manfred Kirchstein; † April 25, 1993 in Houston) was an American jazz and popular musician (banjo, guitar, piano, arranging, composing, orchestra conducting) and music producer.
René was born to a German father and a French mother. He studied at the Music Academy in Berlin and then worked in American dance orchestras. In 1926, he led an American dance orchestra on a European tour and stayed in Berlin, where he collaborated on sound film and recordings, for example by Arthur Briggs and by Dajos Béla, before becoming known as a composer and arranger. In 1934 he was (still as Harald Kirchstein) with Willi Stech the founder and initially the driving force of the ''Golden Seven''. He also composed the music for the propaganda film ''Menschen ohne Vaterland''. Despite effusive reviews in the press, he was brought down because of his Jewish-sounding name and because he could not produce "proof of Aryan origin." In 1937, he returned to the United States, where he soon became a producer for Victor Records. In 1941, he led a musette orchestra with which he recorded numerous albums. After completing his military service, he was active again for Victor from 1946; he accompanied soloists with studio bands and recorded numerous records of jazz, easy listening, musical and pop music. Among others, he worked with Harry Belafonte (Calypso), Perry Como, Maurice Chevalier, Ella Fitzgerald (Hello Dolly), Eartha Kitt, Connie Francis, Al Hirt and Dinah Shore. Then, on the American West Coast, Henri René was Victor's artists-and-repertoire manager. In 1959, he settled in San Francisco. Among other things, he composed a California Suite. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Note: Translated from a German version of Wikipedia into English.
