My Story

I was born in a small South Texas town called San Diego, Texas. At the time of me growing up, the population was around 3,000. Everyone knew everyone and it was a place that didn’t offer much, but, what it did offer was the essentials. My family was small, but very tight growing up. In the trailer was my mother, grandmother, uncle, and myself. We all shared a common thread: the love of music and entertainment.

My grandmother was a singer in her younger days before settling into motherhood. Yet she was the anchor for me. With extreme belief in me, she would say to me almost every day, “You will be a great musician.” Although I can’t label myself as “great”, I do have a desire and passion for playing and writing music. I think being “great” at what you do is defined by the passion you have for it. It doesn’t come with a dollar sign… it comes with feeling at peace.

My mother is an extraordinary woman. By the time she was twenty, she had a three year old she had to take care of on her own. She had three degrees by the time she was thirty and was an example of never giving up on what you believe in. To this day she is the example of a strong woman to me and I will forever try and make her proud and happy.

My uncle was a great drummer with an appetite for all kinds of music. I, being heavily influenced by him, walked by him one day as he was playing drums on an old ottoman. Next to him was our tiny blue record player which played everything from the Beatles to Van Halen, to Buddy Rich and Rush. At that moment, the Beatles were on and I sat across from him and watched what he was doing. I picked up a pair of his drum sticks and started playing the song with him. From then on, I thought I was going to be a professional drummer. That is until the guitar broke down the door for me at the age of twelve.

The guitar for me has served as “the voice” that I personally never had. I was painfully shy, yet, with that guitar I was heard. I was influenced by Edward Van Halen to the Beatles and once a teenager, it was the blues. Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan were staples to me. If there was an example of my playing style, it would be the pain of Clapton, the fire of Stevie Ray, the heritage of Santana, and the atmosphere of The Edge. I believe that we’re all influenced by someone, it’s just up to us to make it our own.

Los Angeles was the place I knew I needed to be. At the age of nineteen I moved there where my uncle had already been living there for four years. We both immediately started writing songs and began to construct a band. After its many name changes, we settled on Act of Faith, which later was changed to The Green Car Motel. We had much success in the licensing world of film. From films like Collateral with Tom Cruise to Seven Pounds with Will Smith. We served a sound that people really took to and many of our songs can be heard in many films.

While in Los Angeles, I was blessed to play with many talented musicians and where I began to know the world of touring. Playing with such talents as Michael McDermott, Katrina Carlson, and Ruby James, I cut my teeth on how it is to live on the road. I collaborated with Katrina and Ruby in the songwriting aspect, which from those collaborations, had more songs licensed in TV shows such as Dawson’s Creek to the film The Women with Meg Ryan. I’m very proud to have my collaborated and solo songs in over twenty films.

Many years later, in 2010, I found Santa Fe, NM. It was as close to a spiritual calling as one could define. While here I began acting in a number of independent films and syndicated TV shows. I was called not only to act, but, to score all the films that I’ve acted in. Once again being shown that there really isn’t a plan for you. All you can do is look at these little lights in the sky and follow them. These lights are all opportunities for one to follow. Whether big or small… follow them. They will lead you to a place you’re meant to be.

Rene

See more of Rene’s work in film on his IMDb page here.