Rene “Horse” Fleury
“I love to entertain. Seeing the reaction of the people, there’s a high you get from their responses. It’s definitely for the love of it.”
Rene “Horse” Fleury
Baritone
Rene “Horse” Fleury was born a child of the fifties in New Orleans when Fats Domino’s
Aint That A Shame” represented the crescent city’s niche in music popularity. He was not to be influenced by the operatic voice of his sister, but became enamored by the melodic sounds of Smokey Robinson, The Dramatics, The Temptations and Teddy Pendergrass.
By the age of 15, while still in junior high, Horse became a member of the group
Stop Inc. and later formed another group, The Fourth Expedition, singing rhythm and blues at various local talent shows. “Harmony was the thing and the Motown sound
was taking over. I became a part of it all.”
When Horse began his High School years at Warren Eastern, not only did his voice change from a first tenor to a baritone, but his talent blossomed and the group, now called the Symphonics, were invited to perform at local night spots such as Prout’s Alhambra,
The Night Cap and Ceasar’s East. They opened for some of the very groups that had influenced them, The Whispers, Chilites, and Neville Brothers, still releasing their soulful but unique brand of R & B.
At 21 his career went solo, until in 1999 when Real Love was born from five friends missing the harmony associated with singing as a group. “Real Love erupted out of the love of music we grew up on from the old school groups. It was bound to happen.”
Horse can be heard singing lead on “Me and Mrs. Jones” by the Dramatics and
“My Latest and My Greatest” by Teddy Pendergras.